More than anyone
by Rivergirls Anthem
Summary: This is a story about Michael and Sara getting to know eachother. Getting to need eachother. Yup that about covers it. Please read and review! xxx The last chapter : Countdown., is up!
1. Chapter 1

A/N : I have seen very little of Prison Break (4 eps to be exact) but have seen a lot of music vids about this pair. Oh, they reeled me in right from the start, and I keep thinking about them. So here's a story that I would like to see happen – on or off screen.

Please let me know how you feel about this story. Reviews are the things that keep me writing... I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Also – I do not own anything related to Prison Break. But I whish for a guy just like Michael – think he exists? Duh!

Love to you all. Laura

* * *

Michaels POV

As he sat on the wrinkled paper on the doctors chaise, he couldn't help but follow her every move. He'd become mesmerised with her actions, even the simplest of things from her would mean something to him. Reliving the memories made in that room was the thing that got him through the long FoxRiver days, with the endless hours, the neverending pain and sorrow. It gave his thoughts an escape from the Breakout-plan. But there were times when he didn't like it. Didn't like this. The feeling of having to leave her soon, and the mere thoughts of using her to get what he wanted, tortured him.

_I can't feel for her. I shouldn't._

He found it very difficult to convince his subconscious. There were times, when he would...open us his head and heart to her. There were times when he thought she cared, and it produced this little tinkling in his stomach.

She turned to him, reading his shot, gripping his arm for support. He never liked needles, but kept up the façade, to keep the plan moving. Or – to see her. Which was another distinct possiblity. The needle hesitating just an inch from his flesh, he saw her smile a little and shake her head slighty, as if she was convincing herself of something. He looked away when she stung him, but immediately turned his face back to her when it was over.

"Can't be easy..."

She quipped an eyebrow. "What can't?"

"Being the governors daughter." She rolled her eyes at his statement, and it made her look so innocent he had to hide his smile. "I've met him once, but I –"

"Didn't care for him too much?" She provided the words for him. He nodded and she took a deep breath. "Yeah, I know how you feel." He raised his eyebrows.

"You do?"

Saras POV

"Well, he sort of..." She sat down, and looked away briefly, before returning his gaze. "When I was a little girl, he was the perfect daddy, you know?" At his nod, she continued. "But then his political carreer started running, and he came home fewer and for shorter amounts of time. I didn't think much of it, until I heard my parents fighting downstairs. Turns out that he was having an affair with some hoity toity business woman, who would as soon turn up her nose as open her eyes."

_Flashback (November 11, 1986 Sara age 9)_

_She saw her mother storm out of the kitchen and into the hallway, where the wooden staircase stood heavily, with her sitting on the twelfth step. She hugged her teddy close and kissed his ear. 'It's gonna be alright, Bunny, daddy will stop yelling and mommy won't be sad anymore.' Her teddy just looked back at her blankly. Bunny didn't believe a goddamn word she was saying._

"_Mommy?"_

_Her mother turned around and saw the frightened little girl sitting in the dark hallway. She sighed heavily and walked over to her daughter, taking her into the warm arms, heated from the argument. "Oh sweetie,"she whispered. "I didn't know you were here." She pulled Sara closer until the poor girl struggled for breath. _

"_Mo – mommy?"_

_Eve distanced herself a bit and looked straight into her baby girls eyes. "No matter what happens," she added a kiss to the side of her face for emphasis, "I want you to know that I love you, okay? Always have..." Sara shivered when her copper strand was tucked behind her ear again, by icecold fingers. How could fingers be so cold, when arms were so safe and warm? "...always will." Eve concluded. To her husband, who had been listening from the bottom of the stairs, she stated, gasping for breath and words. "I hope you –" She paled and fled the room, grabbing her keys in the process, before she was able to utter another word._

_And her little girl – she left her with a bitter husband._

"And thát was the last time I saw her alive. After that, my father blamed me for her leaving. For her dying. Our relationship died with my mom." Swalling the big crop of emotion, along with the question of _why on earth am I telling him all of this_ down her throat, Sara – age 29 – faced her patient again. In his eyes she saw neither pity nor disgust, as had been in her fathers, but understanding. Just, plain and simple understanding. Wonderful and loving understanding.

"I'm sorry, Sara." He said, with that low voice of his, that held all emotions, but was rational too.

Sara slapped his wrists playfully, trying desperately to keep up with her bravado. _Never let them see you cry, Sara._ But despite the fact that Michael was a con, there was something about him that made him stand apart from 'them'. He wasn't one of them to her. He was something different, something more.

"What did I tell you about first-name basis, _Scofield_?"

He smiled a bit and shrugged. "...Not to?"

She nodded her head, but he kept on going. "But the thing is, Sara," she rolled her eyes and looked up to the ceiling, screaming a silent 'why'. Why did her push past her walls so easily? "I like the name Sara much more than I like Dr. Tancredi. Especially after what you told me about the other owner of that name." Again – understanding, like only Michael could. Did she just think that?

"I understand. But – aside from the fact that it's not about what you like, but what you should call me – I wear the name in honor of another Tancredi."

He frowned. "But you don't have any siblings."

"Again, not the point. ... How did you know I was an only child?"

"Oh." Busted. He looked for a plausible excuse, and came up with the rather cliché "You must have told me."

"No." She shook her head. "I didn't. Believe me, I remember every word that –"

He grinned but threw up his hands in defeat as she stared him down with annoyance. He shrugged. "Then I must have assumed... Well then, Sara Tancredi, tell your anxious crowd in whose honor you wear the name. "

"Bunny." She said it with all the obviousness in the world.

His mouth fell. "Bunny, as in – your bunny Bunny?" With his indexfinger, he searched the air for the logic behing that statement. All he got in return was a smile from her lips while she walked over to the medicin cabinet. She casually threw her hair over her should, while softly stating a "I'll see you tomorrow, Scofield."

He grinned and jumped from the chaise. "Later, Sara."

She smiled at the bottle of Aspirin, hoping he'd never do what she told him to.


	2. Zihuatanejo

: Infirmary : 

"You know what they should get up here?" Michael grinned, pointing towards the televisionset in the infirmary. She shook her head, wondering what _amazing plan _he had come up with this time.

She hid the smile that was threatening to come out and stated blankly, and with as myuch sarcasm as she could muster : "Tell me, Michael, I am dying to know."

He silently added 'sarcasm' to her list of favorite states of mind, right next to cynical and 'realistic' as she calls it. But he swore to himself that he would get her to add 'optimistic'. That's when he got that smug look on his face, the one she knew predicted something. Something good to come.

"A DVD-thing."

"Huh." She scribbled a few notes down on her medical papers and looked up at him with a hidden twinkle in her eyes. " And – why exactly?"

He shrugged. "Don't you get tired of watching the news all the time?"

" You're right. It's so exhausting I hardly stay upright." She laughed that little laugh of hers, that would always make him feel fuzzy. Good fuzzy.

Brushing the hair out of her eyes, she raised them to his, with a look similar to the one he'd been wairing only a minute ago. "So, what if I got them to put a DVD-_thingy_, as you so eloquently put it, in the infirmary...Which movie would we play?"

His eyes widened and he gripped his heart. "Sara, trying to make conversation? Is the world really coming to an end?" He skittishly looked around and she snorted.

"Okay. Then we won't talk. It's fine with me, I'll just keep sticking needles in you without ever saying a word or knowing anything about you..." He raised his eyebrow, in that cute little way of his.

"Are you saying you want to?"

"Want to ... what?"

"Get to know me." She blushed but kept quiet, rolling her lips into her mouth.

"I'm just saying it might be nice if I ... knew some stuff." Inside, he was screaming for joy at her words, but years and years of growing up in a crap-highschool taught you a lot about keeping appearances.

"Like?"

"Favorite movie of all time."

He laughed. "You're going to see more to it."

"How could I? What is it? I promise I won't laugh or something."

He looked at a random spot on his tattoo and brushed his fingers over it, before moving them so he was brushing her hand, that lay still in his lap. "I have two, actually. Shawshank Redemption...and..."

"Wait a minute..."she frowned. "Isn't that the one about a guy breaking out of prison?" He looked guilty.

"See – I knew you were going to say that. It's just a great movie! You seen it?" His eyes sparkled as he talked about the movie he used to watch over and over again, in another life, outside of these walls. She shook her head, marveling about the thing that had made a light go on in his eyes.

He pulled his bottomlip into his mouth and bit it. "You should."

"Yeah. And the other one?"

He looked up, but kept tracing patterns on the palm of her hand. "What other one?"

"The other movie..." She added anxiously. "The other favorite one?"

He stopped with the patterns and she instantly regretted the loss of it. However, the sight of him biting his fingernails was so darn cute, she almost found it worth it. Almost. "Uhm."

"Michael – come on! I really won't laugh."

"Ah – fine!" He hid his face in his hands and pressed his palms to his closed eyelids. "Hmad bund."

"What?"

"Sara!"

She laughed and pulled his hands from his face. He groaned. " HOMEWARD BOUND, OKAY!" He yelled desperately.

She just stared at him. "Get – out!"

"Okay..." He stood up, ready to hit himself in the head. Why did he tell her? Why !

"No – no, Michael!" She giggled. "It wasn't an order, it was an er – _exclamation of surprise._ But a good one." She blushed. "To tell you the truth, I love that movie."

He looked up with a small frown on his handsome features. "You do?"

She nodded her head and huffed a laugh. "Yeah. I love Chance. Oh – and I always cry when Peter thinks Shadow's dead..."

"Hey – what about the part when Shadow falls and can't move anymore? Now thát, is what I call SAD."

"I know!"

The grinned at eachother and then all of a sudden their grins faded, while a romantic tension took over the room. Staring in eachothers eyes, they dared the other to break away, hoping they wouldn't.

"Doc?"

Sara hurriedly tore her eyes away and cleared her throat so sound could come out. "Yes?"

"Uhm – you're next patient's here."

"Yes, thank you. I'll be ready in a minute."

She rolled Michaels sleeve down. "Tune in tomorrow, Michael!"

He grinned. "Later, Sara. And watch that movie!"

: Sara's place :

It was one am and she had just finished The Shawshank redemption, not being able to tear her eyes away from the screen before she finished it.

Michael.

Everywhere she saw him. In every scene, every face, ever word spoken. It was him, haunting the movie. Smiling, she pictured him sitting on his cellbed watching the very same movie.

Her face fell when she came to the realisation that if the roles would be reversed – he would be her Zihuatanejo.

Oh.


	3. Be my strength

**Yes, I know I keep on adding chapters, but that's a good thing, right? Yesterday, I was in for a 8 hour busride, so I had some time to think and write...ergo the longest chapter so far. **

**I huuuge thank you to the reviewers so far...But I wish there were more. Pouts If I look really sweet, (maybe there is some begging involved) – will you grant me with your opinions?**

**Love to you all,**

**Laura**

* * *

_You need a friend – I'll be around._

Michael

Another day, another needle. And a nurse who is wasn't the doctor he'd been hoping to see.

"Where is she?"

Katie looked at him blankly. "I don't see how that's any of your business, Mr. Scofield." Michael frowned, while worried out of his mind. If Sara didn't make it in, something must be wrong.

"But she's okay, right?" The nurse nodded and he sighed inwardly. _Thank God._

"Arm, please." He rolled up his sleeve and complied. His fingers he kept to himself this time, her not being there to turn them to. But his thoughts went straight to her. _"I'm okay, Michael . Stop worrying." _Her soft voice sounded in his head. _"Why do you even care so much?"_ Yes, why did he care so much? Why did his stomach clench when he didn't see her, and why did these mere minutes a day run through his head all the time.

He sighed. He has to leave her, he knew he has to. And maybe Sara was right, maybe it was a wrong thing to do to get attached to things that won't last. He has to leave her, and it will be the hardest thing he's ever had to do in his life. So the question that kept running through his head remained. _Do I hold on, and break our hearts in the process, or do I let go, knowing I'll never anything like this again?_

He knew he was selfish holding on to her, but damn it, he needed her. And he needed her to see that they would be together, despite the circumstances. That they will be together, them against the world.

"That was it for today, Mr. Scofield. We'll see you tomorrow." Katie shook him out of his thoughts. He swallowed hard and looked everywhere but at her. Because she wasn't Sara. And it was wrong to be in this room with anyone else.

"Could you tell her that ... that I missed her?" He bit his lip and jumped up from the chaise, muttering a 'thanks' and hurriedly disappearing through the doors.

Katie chuckled. "Oh boy."

Sara

Grunting, she rolled over to retrieve her ringing cellphone. She loved having a double bed, but it seriously annoyed her when she had to get something from across of the 'great land'.

"Yeah?"

"_Wow, doc."_ She heard Katie say. _"You don't sound so good."_

Sara sniffeld and pulled out yet another tissue. "You don't say?" She paused. "MAN! I hate being sick!"

"_Well, yeah. We hate it too. You better get your butt back here quickly. We all miss you. One person in particular."_ Sara quit blowing her nose for just a second and felt her heart doing a somersault.

"Who?"

Katie laughed. _"Woman, don't pretend as if you don't know who I'm talking about! That man was a wreck today!"_ A warm feeling, that had nothing to do with her fever, spread through her body. So Michael really did care. _"I mean,"_ her nurse continued. _"At first he wanted to know everything – Where is she? What happened? Is she okay? – and then he just sat there, staring blankly into space. And then finally – this is so romantic – he asked me to tell you that he missed you. He missed you!"_ She squealed, but only silence answered her. _"Sara?"_

"He - He told you he missed me?" She wispered, her entire face lit by the huge smile currently decorating her face. Michael had actually missed her? "Katie – I think there's a good chance I'll be back tomorrow..."

The two women giggled uncontrolably. Definitely _not_ feeling their age.

* * *

The next day

* * *

Michael 

The next day, Michael entered the infirmary with a grin plastered on his face. He had a feeling she'd be back today – his mood had been chipper the moment he woke up.

"So –" he began as he walked through the doors. His grin faded when he saw Katie sitting in the chair where Sara was supposed to be. No.

Katie inwardly giggled at the sight of his face changing. _Poor guy,_she thought._ He doesn't know what hit him._ "Yes, Mr. Scofield?"

Damn it, Michael! You should have known better. But he'd known – he'd _felt_ it. He shook his head a little, praying that Katie would drop the matter.

She, on the other hand, felt her heart breaking for him. If only, in another time and place...They could have had a chance. But she knew it was bull, she was sure of it. They did have a chance. In this time, and in this place. All they needed was a little private time and a confidant who could keep her mouth shut. She immediately applied for the job. She smiled. She had a mission.

"Just a minute."

And after that minute, Sara Tancredi walked in, just as she and Katie had planned to surprise Michael. She watched him as his eyes widened in surprise and he smiled. That smile of his would be the death of her one day. A smile like that wanted to make her run to him and hide in his arms forever.

He opened his mouth a little. "Oh, You're mean."

She tried to look innocent and smiled widely at their joyous game. "How so?"

He snorted. "You know darn well 'how so'. "

Uh, yeah. She was terrible at playing the innocent one. Grinning, she reached for his arm, but he stopped her hand and pressed their palms together mid-air. His eyes searched for hers. "What happened yesterday?"

She smiled a bit and kept her hand where it was, tinteling all over. " The Shawshank Redemption had kept me up all night, so I had a big sleep shortage." She tilted her head, never breaking the eyecontact. "Well, that and I'd been kissing far too many inmates...They passed a sick-thing onto me." Sighing, she added. "Ah – inmates these days.." The amused yet jealous look on his face was rewarded with one of her full smiles.

He huffed. "Funny... But you're okay now, right?"

"I'm okay, Michael.Stop worrying." She said, raising her eyebrows.

Getting that smug look of his again, he answered. "Who said I was worried?"

_Right._ She thought. But let the comment slide.

* * *

that evening

* * *

Sara 

Sara sighed as she spotted the caller ID. "Yeah, dad?"

"_You missed work yesterday." _Well, hello to you too. Yes, I'm fine now, thank you for asking.

"Yes I did. I was sick."

"_That's what you get working with those filthy inmates.." _She rolled her eyes. Ding ding. Round 372, people. Prepare. _"You know I don't want you there."_

" **I **want to be here. But I guess that doesn't matter – what I want? Do you even care?"

He gasped audibly. _"Of course I care. You're still my daughter."_

"Am I now? I hadn't noticed. You haven't been all that fatherly, have you?" She spat out. And yes, she knew it would only add more fuel to the fire, but it needed to be said. She needed to speak it.

"_Now, Sara. See – you act like this all the time. It's exactly why your mother was walking away from you." _Sara squeezed her eyes shut at the hurt that shot through her entire body. His rational voice cut through her skin. But it was nothing compared to when his voice turned deadly, and he continued his little speech.

"_Sara, we've been over this. She was saying goodbye to you. I was there, remember?She was leaving you, and we both know it."_

Sara, her voice broken, whispered. "She wasn't."

"_God Damn It, Sara! You know what, I wish he wasn't leaving you. I wish she'd taked you with her that night. Then you would have been right beside her when that dingy car crashed to the wall."_ The line went dead, and she felt, for a small part, so did she.

"KATIE!" She screamed with all the breath she had left in her lungs, that felt as if all air had been knocked out of them. Her friend hurriedly ran into the room and took in the scene. Sara was hunched on the floor with her arms thrown around herself and the telephone, discarded on the floor, resounded the dialtone. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was breathing unevenly. Hyperventilating.

Katie lowered herself and strained to her what her friend was whispering. "Michael." The one name came out of her trembling lips.

"What?"

"Get- Michael. Pl – please."

Katie took out her walkietalkie, made up some lame excuse and prayed for Michael to be here soon. _She needs you, Scofield. Hurry._

Michael

Michael was laying on his bed, staring at a random spot on the wall and thinking of Sara, when the guard arrived at his cell and called out to him. "Scofield."

He jumped up, careful not to wake Sucre, and whispered. "What?"

"The infirmary gave you the wrong shot. You're needed there immediately."

_Sara._

There was no way she'd given him the wrong shot, so something had to be seriously wrong. And he ran.

"SCOFIELD! Slow down!" He heard the guard call him and run after him, but he was too preoccupied to answer his demand. He'd never been so glad to see Katie waiting for him, but at the same time it confirmed his suspicions.

_Sara._ He mouthed at her.

"Michael," she stated, greeting him by the door with flushed cheeks. "Why don't you go to the office..." she widened her eyes, signaling to him that's where she was. So he rushed off in that direction. "I'll be right with you!" she threw over her shoulder, before explaining the 'wrong shot' to the guard.

He entered the small office, wher the dim light on the desk shed a soft glow over the room and the dialtone was resounding in the air. Frantically, he searched for her. "Sara?" A choked sob could be heard from the corner off the room, and he turned around to look at her. Her body was shaking with soundless sobs. He walked over to her, his steps as soundless as her sobs, not trying to scare her. He took in her appearance and marveled at the fact that even amidst of all this mess, she still managed to look beautiful.

"Oh, Sara." He softly whispered when she streched out her arms towards him. He grabbed her hand and went to sit right next to her on the floor. He pulled her close and gently stroked her head while she cried into his chest.

Sara

He pressed a kiss to her hair and threaded his fingers through the auburn strands. And in this state of complete brokenness, she felt safe. She felt loved. Wanted.

Something her father had told her she wasn't.

But Michael – he was here, always pulling her close and protecting her from it all. She silently prayed that it would always be this way.

"Sara...Sara." She looked up, tilting her head so her chin stayed connected to his chest. Those beautiful chrystal eyes look at her sweetly. "You want to talk about it?" She shook her head and kept on crying his chest wet. But he didn't care, as long as he was the one to keep her safe. To protect her. She'd wanted him to be with her in her state of vulnerability. And that meant so much to him...

"Come on." He softly kissed her cheek and lifted her in his arms with all the ease in the world. "Let's get you to bed." Walking over to the hospitalbeds, who he thankfully noted were empty, he gently lay her down. Just as he was tucking in, Katie appeared in the doorway, watching the two of them.

Sara stopped him from leaving. "Michael - " she croaked out hoarsely. "Could you – Could you stay with me?"

Michael hesitantly looked back at Katie, who nodded her head in consent and disappeared to make the arrangements. _Yes, officer, there is a chance that he might get very sick during the night, due to the two shots working against each other. We're keeping him here for observation._

"Yeah," Michael said, smiling at her. "I'll stay." Pressing a kiss to her forhead, he pulled out a chair next to the bed and sat down.

"No, Michael..." Sara whispered and pulled back the covers. "Stay...with me."

His heart skipped a beat and he climbed in behind her, careful not to harm her in any way. She immediately snuggled up against him.

And laying there, in each others arms, they both finally knew what 'whole' felt like.


	4. Waking up beside you

_And when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see_

_And you'll realise that you love me._

_- Aqualung_

Michael

He woke up to the wonderful feeling of having Sara in his arms. She was solid. She was real. And she would be his.

He pressed a kiss to her temple and raised his head a bit to look at the clock, hanging on the pale wall of the room. His eyes crossed Katie as she leaned against the doorframe and he smiled guiltily. But for some reason, Katie didn't mind seeing an 'inmate' and a prison doctor cuddle up together. Softly, she told him to wake the sleeping beauty up. It was 9 o' clock, and her shift was about to begin. The last thing she needed was the warden walking in on her in his arms.

Sadly, he promised himself to wake her up. _Just three more minutes. Then I will._ He remembered the events of last night, still in the dark on what had shook her up so bad. But Michael wasn't going to be pressuring her to tell him. She would, in her own time. Rushing things could only make things worse. And right now, when he was moving forward with her – two steps backwards were not a welcome change of situation.

He softly wiped the auburn strands off of her forhead and cupped her cheek. "Sara –" She grumbled and turned over in the small bed. He thought her reluctance to get up was cute. _Very_ cute.

He chuckled. "Come on now..." he sang. "Come on Sunshine, it's a bright day, and the birds are singing...Oh – and the warden could drop by any minute.." She bolted upright. Well, thát got her attention.

She looked back at him confused. "Sunshine?" She asked disbelievingly. Hm, he'd expected her to question the reason for him being there, or the reason why the warden would drop by, but the reason he'd called her by that nickname? Well, he hadn't expected that to be the thing put in to consideration.

He threw open the covers and got out of the bed, pulling her along with him.

_Flash_

_He saw a much larger bed, with white, clean sheets and sunlight pouring in through the windows. He saw himself doing exactly the same thing he did now, but there was something different about it. It was the atmosphere. So relaxed, and loving..._

Unlike now, when the actions they'd both taken the night before hung thickly in between them. He knew he it hadn't been a mistake. He just hoped she felt the same way.

Sara

When she heard him calling her first thing in the morning, she suddenly felt it as a familiar feeling. Something she'd had many times before. _Or maybe something she'd be having many times more?_

He was trying to wake her up, but she wouldn't have any of it. No. This feeling of being with him, just as _Michael_ and _Sara_, was too wonderful to give up immediately. When they distanced themselves from the confines of this bed, they be going back to _Scofield, nr. 51208 _and _Dr. Tancredi_. And she wasn't ready for it yet.

She smiled when he called her Sunshine. Again, the familiar feeling rushed through her blood. But then WHY did he HAVE to mention the warden?

Bolting upright, she searched for him. And it – he – took her breath away. Later, she'd tell their grandchildren that thát was the exact moment Grams realised she loved Gramps. She playfully bantered with him, but couldn't shake it out of her head. _Love._

Bloody hell, Sara! _Grams and Gramps?_

She got scared - kept on smiling - and pressed her lips to his.

Wait – should she have done that?

* * *

The weirdest thing happened. I really didn't mean for them to kiss this soon. Let alone _her_ kissing _him_. But it just felt right, you know? Listen, I know this was a short chapter, but I didn't want to break my 'update once a day'routine just yet. Please, let me know what you think. And a huge kiss to helaluvE, my faithful reviewer...Thanks sooo much, hon'!

XO Laura


	5. Thank you

**A/N : Again, totally didn't plan on them kissing this soon – but I promise you that the story isn't finished yet... There'll be lots of turns, and ... well, I don't want to make any promise, who knows when these fingers of mine start having a mind of their own again... I hope you like this chap, and please let me know, okay? Thanks to the reviewers- please keep on doing so. Rewarded with virual hugs and kisses.**

**Laura.**

* * *

Michael 

The feeling of her lips on his made a warm fire spread through his whole body. He honestly didn't know what had happened, much less why it had happened. But he did know that he could get lost in this moment forever.

She couldn't.

Hurriedly tearing her lips away from his, she blushed and her eyes started to dart around, resting on everything but on him. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Michael. That was just supposed to be a thank you."

He grinned. "Well, I have to say, that was quite a thank you note, Doctor."

Sara

_Doctor. _Yes, she thought. It had happened. The change in personalities, the reality setting back in. _Doctor._

"Right...Right." she shook her head lighty and closed her eyes for a brief second, then stood up and smoothed the wrinkles out of her blouse. "Well, Michael...any way – thank you. Now, you were right before." _Before I kissed you._ "The Warden could drop by any minute, so I think I'll go do my rounds... I'll see you later today for your shot, yes?"

He mutely nodded.

"Good. Well, until then. Take care, and try not to get yourself into trouble." And then she just disappeared through the double doors and rushed over to the medical storageroom, leaning her head backwards into the wall and sinking down to the floor. A tear silently escaped. What was she doing? And what was he doing to her?

She'd always felt so in control of things – she liked it that way. Her past had taught her that if you don't save yourself, you can get into some serious trouble. She had made a job out of helping people, trying to save themselves from pain inside the prison. And she'd loved it. Taking care of people's problems made her forget about her own.

But then _he _came along. Michael, being so sweet to her...so nice and funny. He made her smile again and forget about the fact that he was in prison. Well, until he called her 'doctor'.

She couldn't do this. She just – couldn't. She wouldn't let herself spin out of control again.

_Well, Sara. You have a doctor-woman to save._

Michael 

Was this supposed to happen? _That was just supposed to be a thank you._ He shook his head. Thát was not just a thank you. And he wouldn't let it become one.

Right. _How the hell do you plan on doing that?_ He shrugged. I'll figure something out.

Walking into the Yard, he immediately noticed Sucre coming towards him. "Yo, Mike." He nervously stated. "Where the hell were you, man...thought you'd gone inside again. Freaked me out, Papi." His eyes widened. "I _did _tell you about my family's stress-thing, right?"

Michael grinned. Leave it to his cellie... "It's okay, Sucre. I was...needed...somewhere last night."

"Where on God's earth could you be needed when you're locked up and behind bars, man?"he questioned. Michael avoided his eyes, that were slowly but surely turning to understanding. "It's the pretty doctorperson, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Well, Sucre knew about Sara. Had known for some time now, ever since he'd forced Michael to tell him what had gotten him zoning out every now and then. Mostly, the zoning took place after his daily shot. Sucre wasn't the smartest guy around, but he'd figured out pretty soon that it wasn't the insuline making Michael all ... er ... tied up in knots.

"What was wrong with her?" Sucre's eyes turned soft. He liked the doctor. Hadn't seen her often, but liked her. She was nice.

"I don't know...Anyway, she was crying, and I kind of – stayed the night...?" It was more of a question than a statement. He saw Sucre on the verge of fainting.

"You _stayed the night_?" He shook his head. "Ay, brother. Not good."

"It gets worse...well, worse, depending on how you look at it...Er – She kissed me." He uttered the statement with wonder in his voice, still dazzled and fuzzy, unclear about the why.

Sucre gasped and Michael snickered guiltily. "Yeah. Not good. But it sure as hell felt that way. Felt good."

Sara 

It was 10: 54 a.m and in exactly 6 minutes and 23 seconds, Michael would be coming in for his shot. And she was scared. Terrified.

And very tempted to shove his case off to Katie. _Whimp._ She could always tell Katie her father had called her and she needed to leave to meet with him about the prisonhospital. No one knew the things her father had said to her the night before. It was a plausible excuse, right? Everyone knew her father to be a demanding man.

But he would know. Michael would know. She felt as if he could see right inside of her, read all the answers in her eyes. Those crystal orbs boring into her brown ones could see it all. But she feared that if he saw into her today, he would see the love. She wasn't ready to expose it yet, while it was flooding the surface. No. He could see it when she wasn't feeling this intensely for him. Only then.

"Katie?" Her nurse poked her head around the door and watched her boss/ best friend have a breakdown. Slowly, she walked over to her and let the good doctor lean her head against her chest.

"Oh, honey." She softly stroked her hair. "It's okay to love him."

Sara groaned. "That obvious?"

"No..." Katie answered slowly. "But it is to the people who really see the person you are. Listen, sweetheart – we've known eachother for some time now..."

"Three years..." Sara supplied.

"Yes. Three. And I would like to think that I know you. Now, I've seen the way you looked at people in the past. Your sleazy boyfriends," Sara poked her hard, "Tush, they were sleazy...but you liked them...God knows why, but you did. But Sara," she kept stroking Sara's head. "I have _never_ seen you look at any of those men the way you look at Michael."

"I know." Sara softly whimpered. "I know."

"But.." her friend continued. "I haven't seen the way Michael looks at you many times either..."

Sara smiled a little. "Yeah?"

Katie squeezed her hand. "Yeah."

Rising from her chair, the doctor walked over to her and squeezed her tight. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

A knock on the door and Michael's head poking in made them break apart, Katie sweetly wiping a single fallen tear off of Sara's cheek. "Mr. Scofield," she stated. "Come in."

"And you –" she pointed at Sara. "Go home for the day. I can handle things." She winked at Sara and pressed a kiss to her temple. The doctor smiled a bit and walked over to the door, passing Michael on the way.

_Sorry_ she mouthed at him, but he just tilted his head a little and his eyes crossed hers for a few brief seconds. He saw something in them, drifting on the surface. And he knew what it was.


	6. Me and JulioMikey's day out

**A/N : Well, Sara is confused. Really confused. To the point of not knowing what it is she wants. And boy, let me tell you, in the world of Dr. Sara Tancredi, thát qualifies as a train-wreck! But I think, and she knows, that she needs to give in. Because as someone very wise once said : Life is not worth living if you not take a risk.**

**Thanks to all the reviewers – keep 'em coming, please...?**

**XO**

* * *

_It's against the law, it was against the law._

_ - Simon and Garfunkel_

Sara

She fell backwards onto her soft bed and covered her eyes with her hands, pushing back the tears that were threatening to slip out. She wouldn't cry three times in one day, it was just – wrong. Besides, things could have been worse. Katie could have kept her there, forcing her to administer the shot.

But the mere thought of touching that arm, that had been draped around her at night, had been too hard to bare. The idea of seeing those lips, that had been pressed to hers only hours ago, move when he spoke – it filled her with an overwhelming sense of... of a feeling she had never known before. A feeling she hadn't been ready for.

It was his birthday the day after tomorrow. Michael, possibly the love of her life, as much as it confused her, would be turning 31. She vowed to herself that she would turn it into a day he would never forget.

Picking up the phone, she started to make arrangements.

"So you can...? No, of course I'll bring it. You just keep the thing free for me, okay? You're a doll. I'll be seeing you!...Yeah, bye."

Grinning, she lay back down, falling into a content sleep.

* * *

The next day

* * *

Michael 

"I think we should give her some sort of codename." Sucre looked at me incredeously.

"Codename? So it's really gotten serious, eh?" Michael nodded and stared out at the prison's driveway, wanting so desperately to see her black Jeep pull up, revealing her to him...

"So..." his cellmate stated, "any ideas?"

Michael grinned. "Rosie."

"Beg your pardon? _Rosie?_ How on Gods earth did you come to that?" He shook his head, at his friend, who he was sure had turned crazy from a doctor-overdose.

"It's easy...You're my Julio."

Sucre crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Hey – I'm not anyone's Julio... Who's Julio?"

Michael laughed and started singing softly. "See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard.." When he saw _Julio_ raising his eyebrows in wonder, he added. "Simon and Garfunkel?"

Sucre's face cleared up a bit in recognition. "Aaah – er ... No." He shook his head and groaned when Michael playfully hit him.

"He, Julio or no Julio – I'm kicking your butt..." he growled lamely.

"Well, Julio – you can always _try_." Michael winked at him, knowing it would be the thing to send him over the edge. He laughed and danced around Sucre, ducking out of his reach whenever he tried to swing at him.

"SCOFIELD – SUCRE – YOU ARE NOT IN KINDERGARTEN ANYMORE. SO I SUGGEST YOU QUIT IT NOW!"

The both grinned at eachother and hugged briefly, Michael facing away from the driveway. However, his interest peaked when he felt Sucre chuckle. "Man – Rosie sure does look _fine._"

He instantly turned around and saw her walking past them to the gates. She was shaking her head and chuckling softly under her breath. He thought he heard the word _idiots_, but then again, his ears weren't what the used to be.

Sara 

"Michael..." She greeted him, her voice softly rising, as if she was happy to see him. Which she was. "Come in – sit down."

He took place on the chaise. "Sara. Good to see you again." In his voice, she heard the concern he had felt for her when she had disappeared – again, for the second time that week.

She smiled and took his arm, sending tinklings running over his skin. "Looks like you and Fernando had quite the ... er – _game _going on out there."

Michael blushed guiltily. "Yeah. He's a great guy..." She nodded, trying to keep her cool. The man was just too adorable when he blushed.

"I bet."

"Yeah."

"By the way, Michael – Tomorrow, we are getting you a check-up at a hospital downtown. You need a monthly check-up over there..."

"Oh?" Monthly check-ups for diabetes-patients? It was a load of crap, and she suspected that he knew, but his face showed clear acceptance. Either way, it got him out of the hospital for the day. Which was a basic essential for her plan to work.

She giggled. He didn't have a clue.

* * *

That evening

* * *

She knocked on the door with the sign 'Henry Pope, Warden' hanging above it. Yes, this was the place she needed to be. "Sir?"

He pulled off his glasses and smiled a little. "Yes, Doctor, come in and have a seat." She did as she was told. "What can I do for you?"

Feeling a little nervous, she pulled on her sleeves and started playng with them under the table. "Well, Sir. Tomorrow, I need to take Mr. Scofield up to his monthly appointement at the Chicago General, and I was wondering if..." She looked up into the face of the man who had been more of a father to her than her biological one had ever been. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "...if Katie could accompany us instead of one of the CO's."

He opened his mouth to say something – rejection etched on his face already. She quickly added "Sir, I know what you are going to say – that he _is _a con, and that it could be dangerous, even though he wouldn't ever hurt me. But sir, it's his birthday. It's his birthday, and in two weeks, his brother is sheduled to be executed. Don't you think he deserves it – if only for a day?"

The warden frowned. "You seem to be very involved in this case, Ms. Tancredi?"

She just looked at him. "He's a good man, Sir."

Henry Pope's face relaxed. Yes he was. Wasn't he helping him with the Tasj? He smiled a bit at the woman sitting in front of him, knowing she hadn't asked him for any favor in her life. And she was right about this..

"Fine. Just you and Katie." He saw her face clear. "But be careful and always keep your cellphone near, okay?"

She nodded. "I promise."

-

Laying in bed that night, she thought about the day to come. She'd already sheduled with Katie to leave her alone with Michael right after the appointement ended at 1 pm and then to meet them again at 8.

Sara fell into a peaceful sleeping, dreaming of spending Michael's birthday together.

* * *

The next day – Michael's birthday

* * *

Michael 

Well, today's the day I get to be outside these walls again. If only for a day. With Sara. If it wasn't for his prisonuniform, he'd almost be feeling like a free man.

He smiled. _Free._ He always felt free with her.

And about an hour later, as they walked through the large gates, he noticed the CO wasn't following them out. "Take care, Doctor." He waved.

"I will, Frank, thank you." She waved back sweetly and once again, he was amazed by her kindness. But he was confused too, especially when she led him to a car that was peacefully snoring in the driveway.

"Sara?"

She kinked her eyebrow. "Problem, Mr. Scofield?"

He saw Katie sitting behind the wheel and grinned. "No – Everything is just fine."

-

An hour and a half later, as he had been poked at from every side, and annoying little lights were still causing him to see blind spots, he realised that Sara always treated him tenderly. And boy, was he grateful.

He smiled at the both of them. "So, ladies, why aren't you afraid, walking with a con?" He joked.

Katie pressed her hand to her chest. "Oh my god, you're a con? Help –" she faintly screamed, so no body would hear her. "Help!"

Sara laughed out loud. Freely. " Michael – you don't exactly scare us, you know? You think you've got this _bad boy- thing _going on, don't cha? Well, let me tell you mister : it ain't working with us. We can see the little furry marshmellow underneath it all."

She started to hum a No Doubt – song, called "Underneath it all" and he was tempted to put his arm around her, or put his hand on the small of her back, feeling it vibrate with the tune. But he didn't. Because he was scared that she would back away from him, and it would ruin this perfect atmosphere they were experienceing.

Katie started to trail off and winked at them one last time, before rounding the corner. Sara kept walking as if nothing had happened.

"Er- Sara?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Katie going?"

She shrugged. "I thought she said something about going to surprise her husband at work today.."

He nodded quietly. "O-kay. Then where are we going?"

As if on cue, Sara stopped and looked up. "Here." She said.

Sara

His voice was filled with wonder. "_Here?_"

She laughed at his surprise. They stood in front of an old brick appartement building, detailed with wood. It stood out in a crowd full of modern houses, and it was beautiful. "Yes – here. Come on." She pulled him inside by the arm and the stumbled into the elevator.

He frowned. "This thing _is_ okay, right?"

She giggled. "Who knows."

He pulled his hand over his shaven head. "I don't – I don't understand."

The elevator had come to a stop, but she stood and waited for a minute, before turning to him and holding open the iron door. " Michael – do you know what the date is?"

Of course he knew. Every date had specific orders in his plan to break out. "It's April 4th." He gasped. "O – Sara. You ... I... you remembered my birthday?"

She laughed again and slapped her thighs. "So he _finally_ figures it out... Congratulations!" She raised herself so she could reach his cheek and placed a kiss on it, enjoying the feel of light stubble underneath her lips. "Happy birthday, Michael."

He couldn't stop smiling. "What are you up to, Sara?"

She tried to look innocent – failing miserably, of course. "Me? Nothing...Come on, I'll show you in."

She pulled open the heavy door and showed him inside the loft. A cinemascreen was draped all over one wall, and a couple of _very_ comfortable looking couches where placed in front of it. On the right side of the loft, a huge kitchin took up all the place it was offered, and a diningtable for two was set. The other side of the room was filled with doors.

Michael gasped. "How big is this place?"

"Huge, huh? Not mine though. I'm just borrowing." She winked. Now, "sit down on one of those comfortable couches, they're beckoning you. I need to set something up, I'll be right with you."

But as he was walking over to the couches, she returned. "Wait – I got you something first. Here..." she tossed him a bag. "Thought you might want to wear something nice on your birthday..Don't worry," she added when she saw his eyes widen, "nothing with stripes."

He grinned. For the next ten minutes, they were trying to find the right door for him to disappear through.

Sara smiled. It felt so wonderful to be with him like this. And she couldn't wait how he would look in those clothes she bought him. Yes, she'd gone shopping for a guy, going by her own demands. Like : what would look beautiful on him? And how would it feel if I lay my head on his chest when he's wearing this sweater?

While he changed, she set everything up. The DVD in the right player, the children's champagne poured, a bag of Doritos on the table... It would prove to be quite the day.

Michael

Michael looked at himself in the mirror, admiring her taste of clothes. These were absolutely perfect. He was wairing comfortable jeans and a V-shaped white Tee. It was simple, but amazing. He pulled out the last item and grazed his fingers over it. Oooh – soft sweaters. Score.

He quickly pulled it over his head and walked back into the ... livingroom? awaiting her approval. "So?"

She turned around and gaped at him. Oh boy. _Well, I guess she thinks I look good._

"You like?"

She swallowed. "Uh-huh."

He winked at her. "Good...so what's next?"

Grateful, she led him over to the couch, where he sat down. Sara kept standing, unsure of what to do...He eased her worries by opening his arms to her, and oh – he knew it was wrong, but it felt so amazingly right...He just needed to have her close.

Shyly, she sat down and eased backwards, until she was laying in his arms. He kissed her hair softly. _Amazing._

"Okay..."she stated. "Close your eyes."

He whined. "Saraaa..."

"Michael – do it!" He gave in and squeezed his eyes shut. "Now, don't open them until I say you can, alright?" He nodded and sighed as if annoyed. "Oh, shush, Michael – don't be a baby."

"Okay – open them."

Michael's eyes went wide. "Homeward Bound?" he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes as he watched Chance eating blouses.

Sara smiled with him. "Homeward Bound."

* * *

Wow. Sjeesj. Wasn't that a long chapter? Huh? Tell me what you think...

Ps: Tune in tomorrow, as Mikey's day out continues...

XO Laura


	7. Mikey's day out, part two

**A/N : Hey everybody, I'm back again, bringing you Mikey's day out, part two. – as promised. I really hope you like it. I really hope you let me know if you like it. (hint)**

**Also, a huge kiss to my reviewers : helaluvE, pinkkitty4eva , Mongoose 187 , Shae4Michael , Princess-Belle7 , starlite101342 and BlackCherryMeg16 . You guys, I never would have made it this far without you. All my loving goes out to you with every letter in this chapter.**

**XO - Laura**

* * *

About two hours later, Sara was fighting to keep her tears inside, as Shadow fell down and struggled to get back up. Michael cuddled her close. Somehow, things didn't seem so sad when she was around.

"_He was too old. He was just too old." Peter said on the cinemascreen. _

Sara lost it, right there, right then. She started sobbing uncontrollably into Michael's chest, a thing that seemed to be a routine for them – after all, hadn't they been like this only two nights ago? But he didn't seem to mind as he wiped her tears off of her cheeks, pressing his lips to them and tasting the salty flavor. _She was so perfect._

He smiled and heard Sara giggled as Chance's final words _( "Turkey! Turkey, turkey, turkey, turkey...")_ sounded and the credits started to roll. Michael looked for the remote and turned the sound down (not finding the Stop-button).

"Hey..." he whispered, searching her eyes. "It's okay.."

She sniffled. "Yeah, I know." An embaressed chuckle escaped. "Boy – I'm such an emotional basketcase."

Stroking her cheek, he answered. "No, you're not. It's normal to cry with this movie. I would've too, you know, if I didn't have to keep my _bad boy-act_up around you.." His tone had taken in a laugh, immediately setting her at ease.

Sara kept her head laying on his chest, feeling it rise and fall, and listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. Falling, harder and harder. "Hmm...this is nice."

"Yeah," he softly whispered. "It is." She felt him squeeze her closer, feeling as if they could lay there for eternity.

-

About half an hour later (they couldn't bare leaving eachothers arms just yet), they stood side by side in the kitchen, trying to decipher the recipe to bake Michael a birthdaycake. He pulled his hand over his short trimmed hair.

"This is impossible..." He sighed loudly.

Sara playfully smacked him. "Michael – we can bake you a cake, okay? It's gonna be great. Don't worry about it...Hand me the milk?"

He opened the fridge and pulled out a milkcarton, handing it to her and going to stand right back beside her. "Thanks."

"No problem." He snickered. "That's all I have to do, right?"

Sara smiled. "Oh , no...This is just the beginning for you, Mr. Birthday boy."

A tired groan escaped from his lips and she laughed, before once again turning to him for help.

"Honey, could y- " She turned her head away and kept on pouring the milk into the measurementcup, hoping he hadn't noticed her slip. Casually, she continued "crack the eggs please?"

He beamed at her. "Sure thing, sweetie." With a wink he went to work, secretly enjoying the sight of her face turning red. He wondered if it could really be like this, someday. But, remembering his vision, he knew it would. Smiling to himself, he repeated the words in his head. _We'll make it._

Sara was through measuring the milk, and took her time weighing the right amount of flour, the tip of her tongue getting stuck between her lips in concentration. He smiled at her tenderly. _So this is what it feels like..._

"What?" She looked at him with a sweet smile on her face, and flour on her cheek.

"Hmm?"

She furrowed her brows together for a second, before seperating them again. "You said 'So this is what it feels like'..."

His cheeks flushed. "Oh – yeah."

Impatiently, she put her hands up on her hips. "So?"

He tried to avoid her gaze and looked really interested in the eggshels, silently scraping them together to put away.

"Michael!"

"Michael? Please? I need to know what you think about all of this." Her voice sounded so insecure that he couldn't keep it from her. He needed to tell her how he felt, at that moment, with her. He silently closed the space between them and brushed the flour off of her cheek, whispering.

"Home." Closing his eyes, he bumped his forhead against hers, breathing the same air, hoping she'd understand and not freak out. He felt their heartbeats increasing and knew he had to break the spell, if only for a moment. The air was to heavy with emotion now, and it was about to turn. Good or bad – they'd have to wait and see. So he pressed a kiss to her head and distanced himself again, turning around to grab the bowl of cracked eggs.

"So – where do you want these?"

- - -

He smiled. "I think that was the best pie I ever had." She laughed softly and had to agree with him. It was some damn good pie.

"I'm pretty proud of us too..." Glancing at the clock, she sighed. 18 : 56. Katie would be here in an hour, and their sneakpreview of 'what could be' would be over. _What could be?_she thought, _or what would be?_

She had to admit, she was still a bit shaken by his honest confession an hour ago. _Home. _The word alone, related to Michael, sent shivers down her spine. She also knew that what had just happened in that kitchen, would be treasured forever. By both of them.

"Michael..." He looked up at her. "It's almost over.." Michael shook his head and pressed a finger to her lips. _Shh._

Walking over to the massive stereo, he put on a random channel, listening as soothing sounds emerged. Without saying a word, he walked over to her and took her hand, leading her away from the table to a spot in the middle of the loft. He took her in his arms and they swayed.

_This is over my head but underneath my feet _

_'Cause by tomorrow morning I'll have this thing beat _

_And everything will be back to the way that it was _

_I wish that it was just that easy _

_'Cause I'm waiting for tonight _

_Then waiting for tomorrow _

_And I'm somewhere in between _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Would you catch me if I fall out of what I fell in _

_Don't be surprised if I collapse down at your feet again _

_I don't want to run away from this _

_I know that I just don't need this _

_'Cause I cannot stand still _

_I can't be this unsturdy _

_This cannot be happening _

_'Cause I'm waiting for tonight _

_Then waiting for tomorrow _

_And I'm somewhere in between _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

_Of What is real and just a dream... _

She smiled against his chest. It was exactly what this felt like. Something that could not be happening, should not be happening. But it was – and she loved every minute of it.

Michael breathed her into his lungs, into his being. She'd taken him over. Completely. And he hadn't planned it. He hadn't counted on it. All those times he'd stared at her picture in his appartement, taped against his window – he hadn't known. He hadn't known the person she was, the amazing feelings he would get just being near her.

_I don't want to run away from this. _Damn it, he knew he would have to leave. That was calculated. For now, he didn't care, though. Not one bit. He just let them be happy.

The song ended, but they kept on going, kept on dancing, and being, and living.

Until another song came on and they both turned giddy and laughed, laughed, as he spun her around and dipped her. The danced around like crazy, and he couldn't keep the grin off of his face.

_You can kiss me in the moonlight on a rooftop under the sky. _

_Oh, you can kiss me with the windows open while the rain comes pouring inside. _

_Oh, kiss me in sweet slow motion, _

_let's let everything slide. _

_You've got me floating, you've got me flying. _

_It's the way you love me, _

_it's a feelin' like this. _

_It's centrifugal motion, _

_It's perpetual bliss. _

_It's that pivotal moment. _

_It's 'Ah, subliminal.' _

_This kiss, this kiss. _

_It's criminal. _

_This kiss, this kiss. _

_It's the way you love me baby, _

_it's the way you love me darling, yeah. _

All of a sudden, they stood still while everything kept spinning all around them. His eyes looked right down to the very core of her again, and every fiber in her body was on fire. She felt his hand moving up to her cheek and his thumb tracing her jaw.

_I can't believe she's real._

But she was. And he had never felt like this. Slowly, but surely, he inched closer to her until she was flush against him. He heard her breath catch and had to fight to keep his own under control, as his lips were pulled to hers and softly grazed them.

"Michael –" he heard her whisper, and for a moment he feared that she would think it was a mistake. He wouldn't be able to take it, he knew. It would break him.

"Yeah?" he whispered, fear evident in his voice.

"Am I dreaming?" She distanced herself and pushed her hand through her auburn strands. "I mean – this can't possibly be?" Her voice held a real question, and he smiled contently.

"It's real, Sara. You and me, it's real." He pressed his lips to hers again, this time for a more hungry kiss, and they both smiled around it.

_It's real._

* * *

_So, yeah. There I went again. The songs are "Somewhere in between" by Lifehouse and "This Kiss" by Faith Hill. I love those songs. If you haven't heard them, do ! _

_Tune in tomorrow! XO_


	8. Feel the things I do

**A/N : Back! with another chapter. Oh, I'm so glad you liked the previous one, it was sort of a keypart in the whole story, don't you think? Now, I have a question - should I continue this story under the same title, or post a sequel - because things will be going down - yes, the escape is eminent. ( Yes, I admit, maybe this question is another pseudonym for the 'Please review!' thing, I think I've gotten really good at stating that message between the lines...hehe). Thank you so much to all the reviewers so far - I do it all for you...**

**XO**

* * *

_There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me, whenever I fall_

"Sara," Katie said as they were arrived at the car an hour, twenty-three minutes and sixteen seconds later (she'd counted. When he'd kissed her, it felt like the world was being reborn. An hour, twenty-three minutes and thirty-five seconds ago...) "I think it's best if you sit in the back with Michael for the ride back. Just to show the CO's you've kept him on a short leash today, you know..."

Sara smiled brightly until Michael softly nudged her. She turned her smile down a few notches. "Oh, okay." She lightly answered. "So, how was Mark doing?"

On the ride back to the place hidden inside huge brick walls, Katie continued to gush about how pleased her husband had been to see her at work, not leaving one detail out. Michael softly smiled as he stared out the window, silently listening to the women's bantering. Every once in a while, he glanced at Sara, whose lips were curled upwards in a cute way. Slowly, he edged his hand towards hers and started carressing it. When she looked back at him, and smiled, interlacing their fingers, it took everything in him not to lean across the space dividing them and kiss her passionately.

Sara's head was spinning from the warm feeling of Michael being close to her. Remembering the feeling of the kiss, still tasting him on her lips, and then knowing they wouldn't get another chance at this for a long, long time made her heart ache. Tasting the freedom they could have, only to lose it again – it was wonderful and painful at the same time. It was bittersweet, all of this.

But his eyes reassured her, and his hand in hers made her heart beat faster. She knew that for all the nights to come, this feeling would be the last thing she knew before falling into a deep sleep. He'd always be with her.

And didn't she sound like a love-sick puppy?

The walls doomed up before them, and suddenly the car became very quiet, every breath taken revibrating in the air. It was like a filter closing over their eyes, darkening everything they saw. Michael took their linked hands to his lips and kissed them before untangling the fingers.

_Let us go back,_ he thought, _let us just go and never look back again._

* * *

The next day

* * *

Sara 

As predicted, she'd had a wonderful night's sleep yesterday – how could she not have, with the ghost of Michael near her. Softly, she had fingered the unslept sheets on the other side of her bed, imagining him laying there, a crooked grin on his face as he turned to his side and pulled her into him. For a moment, she thought it was real, she thought he was there. Isn't imagination a wonderful thing?

But now she was scared. How would they act around each other? Should she pull the curtain up – just in case he wanted to kiss her? Or would that be too presumptuous of her, and would he take it the wrong way? In any case, her questions would soon be answered, as she watched him walk through the doors of the infirmary and headed to her office. She saw him marching with long, confident strides and watched spellbound. It was like watching a hero return home after his ultimate victory. _Home._

"Michael..." She greeted him as he entered the office and shut the door behind him. They both shared similar grins as he sat down on the chaise, for the umpteenth time of his stay here. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better," he answered with a smile. "See, I had this great day yesterday with this amazing woman, and it really gave me a boost, you know?"

"Oh?" she asked curiously. "Anyone I know?"

He shrugged. "Yeah – I'd say you know her pretty well."

Sara looked pensive, as if making a list of possible women in her head. And then she gasped. "Katie?"

"Yes." Michael laughed. "Katie."

Sara chuckled and pushed a strand behing her ear. "Sara," she heard Michael softly say, and she looked up, "You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now."

Her heart fluttered, and in that moment, she made a decision. Standing up quickly, she pulled the curtain towards them and hid them out of sight. "Okay," she sighed. " If you have to...but make it a quick one."

-

Three minutes later, Michael leaves. And as much as she longs to keep him from leaving, to pull him back to her and make him stay with her forever, she doesn't. She lets him go, lets him walked out through her door.

Immediately after he leaves, she turns to look out of her window, gazing at the spot where she'd seen him almost walk out of her life forever. She sighs and clutches her necklace in her hand. It's the one her father gave her on her 7th birthday. Her father...She reaches around her neck and pulls it off.

She doesn't have a father.

"Sara?" Katie appears in the doorway behind her – at least, she thinks so, still staring out of the window.

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Wonderful left you something..." Instantly, she whips her head around, immediately regretting it when she something snap. But she doesn't feel it – only feels her heart pounding in her chest at the thought of Michael.

She sees Katie grin and walk over to her, with a little box in her hand. She pushes it to her boss, who greedily takes it and nods. The nurse giggles and leaves.

Sara feels her fingers tremble as she traces the edges of the box. Trembling fingers, speeding heart. The signs are all there, aren't they? And – oh yes, goofy smile in place. Opening the box, she looks at the insides and smiles.

On the bottom of the little box lies a perfectly rounded piece of eggshell, probably a part of the eggs Mr. Wonderful cracked yesterday, hanging from a little chord. He made her a necklace. Exactly three minutes after she decided she needed a change of necklace and pulled the one she had been wearing since she was seven off of her neck, he gave her a new one. A new chance, a new life. A new love.

She strokes it softly – eggshells aren't exactly the most stable material – and turns it over in her hand, looking at the inscription with love flooding her eyes.

_"Always remember. M"_

Shaking her head, she wonders aloud : "Oh Michael, how could I ever forget?"

Michael

Five days.

Five days left with her.

Her, with the beautiful eyes, and heart. With the soft voice and touch that made his every fiber shiver. Her, the one he wanted, needed to be with for the rest of his life.

He looked disgusted for a moment. _So, the rest of your life consist of five more days, huh Michael? This isn't right. You can't do this to her.She deserves better._

Shaking his head, he contradicted himself. _I'll make it right. I'll make her forgive me. I need to._

He gripped his chestpocket, where inside, a little box had made house. A box containing another piece of eggshell, the one that had been neighbouring the one he had given her. It was a box he would protect with his life, because he knew that if the eggshell cracked, it would be a sign of all chance of a future with her lost.

And that was something he wouldn't be able to take.

* * *

The next day

* * *

As he sat in her office again, the curtain pulled up again, he gently ran his thumb over her necklace and swallowed hard. "Sara..." he whispered hoarsely. She looked up with a question in her eyes and waited for him to continued. It was as if somehow, she knew what he was about to say would be difficult for him.

"Will you wait for me?"

Her eyes turned a deeper brown than he'd ever seen and he held his breath, awaiting her answer nervously. She pressed her lips to the place where there had once been a cut above his eye, and guided his hand from her necklace, over her breast, to her heart. She heard his breath catch at the movement, but needed him to listen to her.

"Michael, can you feel this?" He nodded, his throat as dry as the desert. "You can?" He nodded again. _Stop teasing me, Sara._ "Good." She concluded. "It has never beat this fastly. Not for anyone." She ran her hand over his head and his closed eyes. "I'll wait forever if I have to.." She softly kissed him.

"I'll wait for you forever."

* * *

_Wasn't Michael soo beautiful when he hoarsely asked her to wait for him? Made my heart speed up. Yes, I had to put it up here, even if I changed the circumstances a bit._

_I think everyone recognized the lyrics? But I have to say something about them. I took them from the song by Alison Krauss "When you say nothing at all". Yes, Ronan Keating covered it, but I recently listened to this version (Krauss) and found it much more beautiful than Ronan Keating's version. It's sort of like 'I will always love you', the original version by Dolly Parton and the modern version by what's her name - Whitney Houston. _

_Anyway, that was a short intermezzo._

_I will write another chapter tomorrow (I am so caught up in this story) if you reward me with your opinions. (Once again : HINT). Love to you all. XO_


	9. Truth doesn't make noise

**A/N : Aren't you getting tired of me? Hehe. One of my lovely reviewers told me that daily updates are great – because that way you still remember what happened in the previous chapter. My answer to that : the only reason that inspires me to write daily chapters, are the daily reviews I get. I would be nowhere without you...**

**This chapter is an important one, and to be honest, I'm not sure where I'm going to go with it (I always just make myself comfortable behind my laptop around 8 pm and start typing the way I feel things would go). I really hope I get this right.**

**XO**

* * *

Three days later ( 2 more to go)

* * *

_A magic trick makes the world disappear._Michael (prologue)

The last few days with her have been wonderful. Magical. It wasn't prison – it wasn't forbidden – not in our minds. It wasn't about to end.

But the last nights have been gnawing away at me. I could see her face before me, smiling one minute, disappointed the next. Hurt. So much pain showed on her lovely face, and in my head the little voice was telling me that this would be real. _It will come true._

Guilty. _We find the charged party guilty of the crime he was accused of. Therefor he will be punished._ Isn't guilt what this place is all about?

The very first day here, something she said struck me hard. She said "Trust means nothing inside these walls". But it does – did. She came to trust me. And this is how I repay her?

_Guilty. Punished._

Don't push me away, Sara. Don't punish me for the crime I had to commit. Don't stop loving me.

Sara

She loves him with all her heart. She may not have spoken the word out loud yet, but what did it matter, anyway?

_Those three words are said to much. They're not enough._

She more than loves him. She wants to become him. To melt in his arms and feel, love, think and _know_ together.

And she'll wait forever.

Sometimes she feels that this love should frighten her. This amount of passion thrust upon her spirit, that was all about maintaining control for years – should make her scared, at least a little bit. She smiles. He's a prisoner, and she's never felt more safe around anyone.

So when she sees him walking to the infirmary, her heart skips several beats and makes her breath catch in her throat. Twenty years from now, he'll still have that effect on her. To say it in the words of the Beatles : She will still need him, she will still feed him, when he's sixty-four.

But something about him is different today. The way his shoulders are slumped even the tiniest bit, something no one else would notice. But she can see...and even though he has been speaking to her the entire time he has been here, she knows he isn't talking about what he's feeling at the time. And she needs him to.

"Michael, talk to me."

He looks at her strangely. "What about?"

"About whatever's bothering you." He rolls his lips into his mouth and avoids her eyes, gazing towards the medicine cabinet, where the single red rose, that never dies, lies silently among all the white objects. It stands out.

"When's your next patient?" Standing up, she walks over to her desk and looks in her agenda, immediately finding the right hour (she always writes Michael Scofield in large letters, so she'll know exactly when she can see him again).

"Not for another three hours. Michael, what's wrong?" Her voice sounds concerned and it reveals all the fear she has that something's happened to him. Or something will happen. After all, this is Fox River, State Prison. You're not exactly having tea-parties with your jailmates.

He takes her hand in his and knots their fingers together (luckily, she's pulled the curtain up). His eyes close tightly and she knows he's fighting tears. She wants to tell him not to cry, that whatever it is – they'll fix it, they'll make it through together. But she doesn't, because she can tell that this is something bigger than that. She'll always stand by his side, but she can't...whatever.

"Sara," he whispers brokenly, "I'm leaving."

She frowns. "No, that can't be. Henry stopped the transfer, remember?" A smile slips out, _he's worrying for no reason._ But she can't help feel that that's not it. Not what he means, not what's got him all shook up.

"No.." Michael shakes his head. "I'm not being transferred.." she opens her mouth but he stops her "I'm not being released either. I'm..." His eyes open again and gaze into hers, and she gasps at the emotion, and hurt, and guilt in them. His chrystal eyes always mirrored everything he's feeling. "I'm leaving."

It sets into her like a tidalwave crashing on the beach, swallowing the city on its way. Leaving.

She quickly withdraws her hand and swallows hard, shaking her head. "No."

No. Because if he's leaving, then what does that make her to him? The person he wants to spend the rest of his life with, a short-term girlfriend , a ... key? And what does that make him? Is this even who he really is – or is this a ghost, a fictional character, made up for the sole purpose of reeling her in? Making her love someone who's not...not...

"Listen, Sara..." her eyes dart around the room, and she feels like a caged animal in her own territory. "Sara." His fingers try to find his way to her chin, wanting to pull her gaze back to him, but she turns away as if burned and looks at him with huge eyes. Well, at least he made her look at him again.

"Who are you?" She whispers, and it breaks his heart to hear. "Who are you, really?"

"I'm Michael." He tells her decisively, wanting her to know that he never played a game, never pretended to be someone he's not. "I'm Michael." He says again. "And I'm in love with you."

A tear escapes her eye. "Don't say that." She tells him, walking back towards him, and he opens his arms for her to hide in. "Please don't say that.."

He kisses her hair and she feels a tear falling on her head, next to his lips. "Sara..." he croaks out. "I love you."

She grips his uniform tightly and as sobs wreck her body, his arms are around her, keeping her safe. Not letting her drown when the tidal wave crashes down right before her. "Why?"

"Why do I love you? My God, Sara, I wouldn't even know where to start."

She raises her head and smiles through her glassy eyes. "That's nice to hear, but no – why are you leaving?"

"Sara, you once told me that you saw the ShawShank Redemption, right?" She nods her head, knowing where he's going with this. "And what did you think, when you found out that Andy DuFresne was innocent?"

"It's not right." She whispers.

"_It's not right._ It isn't. Neither is that fact that my brother is in here." Sara looks up at him with a question in her eyes. "Sara, Lincoln was framed. He didn't murder the Vice-President's brother."

He hears a great gasp from her, and is glad to. She believes him. He doesn't have to convince her that it's true, no. She loves him, and believes him when he tells her the truth.

"So you came in here, to break him out." It's more of a statement than a question. "And those tattoos, they're what...some sort of plan." He has never felt more proud of anyone then at this moment. He slowly nods and looks confused when she starts laughing loudly.

"Michael, that's INSANE!" She continues giggling, and he knows that she's scared. She's laughing so she won't cry.

"It's okay, Sara." He pulls her back into him. "It will be okay."

She shakes her head and snuggles into him. "What if you get caught, Michael? Or even worse...what if you get hurt?" Her voice cracks on the last word. What if something happens to him. She won't be able to take it.

"Don't worry, Sara, I've planned this out really well. I'm going to be fine." He reassures her.

"Michael – who'll give you your shots?" He blushes and then she knows. Smiling, she adds "You're not diabetic, are you?" She smiled at the grown man sitting in front of her, looking like a kid that had just been caught stealing cookies. "You do know it's not healthy, right? As your doctor, I should punish you."

He grins from ear to ear. "Please do."

"You're so full of it, _Scofield_."

"I promise, doctor," he holds up his index and middlefinger in a sign of scouts honor. "I'll stop. But just one more day okay? I need to see you one more time before I leave."

She pretends to think about that for a minute. "Please?" he adds.

She shruggs. "One more day couldn't hurt." Walking over to him, she kisses him passionately. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"Being honest with me..." Her eyes show tenderness and it fills his heart with warmth.

"I was scared to.." he admits.

"Don't be." She adds, repeating his earlier words. "It will be okay."

* * *

_Argh. Wow. Hmm - I think it turned out okay..But what did you guys think? XO_

_PS: Lyrics from Snow Patrol ('The finish line' and 'chasing cars')._


	10. Later

**A/N : and as I once again place myself in front of my computer, anxious to go where my mind tells me to, the thunder is rolling in the distance. I've always liked thunder. Too bad there's no rain, though. I hope that thunder alone will give me enough inspiration.**

**I know that some of you may feel that Sara took it all too well, but I have thought about it (after I wrote the chapter – I told you my fingers would run away with me again) and I have figured out why, in my mind, she reacted that way. It's because**

**She loves him - pretty obvious**

**But more importantly**

**He didn't ask her for anything. He didn't need anything related to the plan from her. Because in the show, he bluntly states – "I'm getting my brother out of here. Tonight. And I need your help...yada yada yada...make a mistake." Now, I don't know about you guys, but that would make me feel used. In my story he tells her the truth without asking her for anything.**

**Just wanted to say that.**

**Oh, and there'll be a lot of lyrics in this chapter, so I've put numbers behind them, titles and artists are found beneath the text. As you probably notice, I've listened to Amanda Marshall non-stop while writing this baby.**

**Please review!**

**XO**

* * *

_Because we knew_

_It may be a long shot_

_We may get lonely down the line_

_But love knows no reason (1)_

Sara

"Michael..." she whispered against his cheek. " I don't want you to go." He nodded, feeling similar emotions. But he had to.

"I know...Me neither."

"But," she nodded decisively. "I know that you have to. And I just want you to know that I will wait for you. Michael - " Sara let out a heavy sigh. "I.. I'll be okay. I'll _let love fly away, and until love comes again, I'll be okay._" (2)

Michael took her face in his hands and kissed her intensely, leaving them both breathless in the end. "I'll meet you again, soon, okay? I promise that I'll find a way to see you again...to talk to you..." he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "To kiss you – just like this..." Kissing her once again to prove his point, he felt her shudder in his arms. "and in time, I'll be able to love you the way you deserved to be loved."

Her voice was a hushed whisper. "All I want is you."

She pressed kisses all over his face, featherlight like the wings of butterflies grazing his skin. It was enough for tears to appear in his eyes. But he pushed them back. He had to be strong for her. Besides, she knew.

**A/N : It's raining.**

_And when the worrying starts to hurt _

_And the world feels like graves of dirt _

_Just close your eyes until _

_You can imagine this place _

_Yeah our secret space at will (3)_

"Listen, Sara. If you ever need me, I want you to close your eyes and think back to the way we were on my birthday, okay? We were free...and happy. We were together. That's the way it will always be... We just need to be patient for a little while."

She nodded her head and continued running her hands up and down his bare arms, that were still covered in tattoos. _Of course, what did you think – that they'd disappear?_ She smiled and kissed them softly.

"Michael –" she giggled, trying to break the emotional heavyness, "One day, this relationship is going to move past kissing, right?" He nuzzled her nose and raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Hmm..." he growled. "Who knows..."

He lifted her up and sat her on the chaise, attacking her neck... "I'm be happy to oblige, Ma'am."

She laughed. "Not now." He ignored her and continued. "Michael..." She lightly tapped him on the shoulder and cleared her throat. "Er- Michael?"

Michael didn't stop his administrations, but moved lower and started carressing her belly with his cold fingers. She gasped. "Ah – Michael, that tickles. Michael!" She roared with laughter, and apparently, that sobered him up. Don't want to have a CO coming to check up in here, now do we?

He distanced himself from her and adoringly looked at her face, while she furiously tried to wipe the tears of laughter out of her eyes.

"Hey," he said. "You're beautiful."

Pressing his lips to her again, he felt her sigh satisfied and push herself towards him, craving to melt together with him. _Take me with you, _it felt as if her body was screaming. _Don't leave me alone._

He squeezed her close to him and stroked her hair.Closing his eyes, he started singing softly next to her ear, his low voice soothing her aching heart.

"_This love won't forsake us_

_So dry your tears I promise you_

_When this trouble passes over_

_You and I will walk away_

_Knowing that our love survived_

_Another test of faith_

_Trust me,baby – this is love."(4)_

She looked in his eyes and continued his song.

"_One more mountain..._

_Hey...so what?_

_Trust me baby...this is love."_

She kissed him, and her tears rolled down his cheeks, as they fell into each other, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Doctor? Is everything all right?"

Sara smiled into Michaels neck. "Yes, Frank, everything is fine. I'll be done in a minute."

After kissing eachother passionately one last time, adding a quick peck as an afterthought, they reluctantly let go.

"Be careful, okay? And remember that I love you. And I'll be waiting. Forever." He gratefully nodded and slowly walks out of her office, before turning back one final time and mouthing _I love you so much _at her.

And with a wink, he was gone.

Sara slumped in her chair, but she didn't cry. Because she felt that what he'd said was true. They'd make it.

Michael

When he enters the Yard, he's immediately greeted by Sucre, and he thanks whoever's-out-there for Fernando, the only close friend he's ever had in his life. Most people don't plan on making friends in prison, but Michael knew, the moment Sucre asked him which word to use to propose to his girlfriend, that they would be close. He smiles as he remembers that day.

'_Passion, is that with an h?'_

"So..." Sucre begins. "How 'd it go with Rosie in there?"

And Michael smiles at him. "She's the one, Suci." He'd taken to calling him Suci, to counter the whole Papi-business, but turns out Sucre actually liked his new nickname, and demanded to be called that name. Suci.

"Ay. Now thát..." they bumped fists together, with huge grins on their faces, "is good."

Michael chuckles. "So, are you ready to see Maricruz again, big shot?"

Sucre nods furiously. "Ready as I'll ever be, Papi."

The both nod simultaneously. "Let's do this."

* * *

That night, as the Fox River Eight, as they'd called themselves, gathered in the ventilationcorridors, they were as quiet as they could be. Nothing could go wrong tonight. They'd spent too much time planning this, damn it.

And nothing did. Everything went perfectly, and after three hours, they breathed in the air of freedom together. Their lungs felt like they were on the verge of bursting, but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was the achieved freedom. Every con ... ex-con, slapped Michael amically on the back and each went their own way. Only three of them remained. The brothers and Suci.

"Eh, guys – do you mind if I tag along with you a bit, you know? 'Cause I don't really feel like being on my own right now.." Sucre nervously looked up at the brothers. He didn't know Linc the Sink at all, but he did know Michael. Michael, his bestest friend ever. He grinned sheepishly when the very same threw an arm around his shoulder and pulled him along.

"Come on, Suces. Let's go."

"Ay, Papi, don't act too gay on me, okay? I got a reputation, and with you hanging sheets everywhere..." He smiled broadly.

Michael punched him in the arm and turned the three of them around. "Well, guys, take one last look at the hell hole."

The three free men watched stunned, each deep in thought. _Goodbye, Fox River. Thanks for the memories!_

Michael's eyes were trained on the infirmary, where a faint light was still on. He saw a shadow playing on the walls, and ached to grip that shadow and take it in his arms forever.

_Later, Sara. I love you._

* * *

(1) Amanda Marshall : Dark Horse

(2) Amanda Marshall : I'll be okay

(3) Snow Patrol : Shut your eyes

(4) Amanda Marshall : Trust me (this is love)

* * *

_Yes, I know the last part may not be realistic, but I'm really bad at writing action-scenes. So I leave them out and focus on the emotional aspects instead. (grins) _

_I know it was a shorter chapter than the previous ones. But I promise I'll make up for it, okay? Right. The thunderstorm is gaining in strength, and I fear for the life of my sweet little computer. So - peace out for now. And - please review. Pretty please?_

_XO_


	11. Hear you me

**A/N : Well, boys and girls, it's been a tough day for your poor little writer. So I'm looking to unwind with this. Hope it works. You know, writing this story calms me. When the day winds down, and I find myself once again sitting behind my computer – I feel soo relaxed.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews – you guys are the best! Keep on doing it...?**

**XO**

* * *

_I'd give up my sight just to see you_

Sara 

It had been a week and three days. She didn't know how she could keep it up. Her work at Fox River was tiring, exhausting and – and the place was haunted with their ghosts. Every time she looked at the chaise, she could see Michael sitting there, propping himself up on his hands – showing off those muscles of his intentionally (Cheeky little bastard, he was) and at times, she would check her agenda during the day. His name was never written down anymore, and the book consisted of names in small, sloppy handwriting. She missed him so much she could barely breathe.

And that happened, sometimes. Sometimes she panicked, like she did that night when her father had called her. But he wasn't there to pull her close, and when she woke up in the hospitalbeds – his arm wasn't draped around her. No silly words whispered against her ear and no visions of Grams and Gramps.

She had moved. Renting the place where they'd spent their one peaceful day together. The previous owner, her cousin – left for Wisconsin a week ago, and she'd begged him not to take any of his furniture and leave the place whole. Maybe the place could heal her. Or maybe it wasn't the smartest decision, living between memories of what could be. _Would be_, she corrected herself.

Sara smiled. She'd moved into their place. And she'd keep it warm for him, until he came back. Tentatively reaching for her necklace, she closed her eyes and pictured his face, pleading for him to come back soon. Come home soon.

Michael 

They were driving. Again. It was all they seemed to be doing ever since they left that night. He stared out of the window and looked at the passing landscape. They'd been here before. He grinned. They were going home.

"So –" Sucre leaned across the bench dividing the frontseat from the back, " You're absolutely _sure_ the feds won't be looking for us there, are ya Papi?" Michael stared back at him in the rearviewmirror and smiled at his friend.

"Suci, have I ever let you down?"

Sucre nodded satisfied. "No." He gently pushed Michael's head. "You're okay, Mike. You're okay."

Michael chuckled. "Gee, thanks." Sucre pressed a kiss to his shaven head and heard a roar of laughter slipping out. "Now who's acting all friendly on me?"

The backseatrider bit his lip. "You better not tell anyone about this, you hear me Fish?"

"Whatever, Julio."

Lincoln let out a laugh. "Julio?" His face turned to understanding. "So Rosie would be...hm ... the good doctor?" They shared a grin.

"See," Michael explained to Sucre. "_He_ understands."

His brother clicked his tongue. "Oh, Sucre, what are we going to do with you?"

The Porto Rican battered his eyelashes. "Loooove me?"

Two voices spoke up at the same time. "In your dreams."

* * *

"Hey, Linc, can I borrow the cell – I need to ask Veronica for a favor?"

Yes, even though he desperately wanted to hear Sara's voice, she wasn't protected by the whole client/attorney privacy law, so they could tap her phone. Michael already knew they would be watching her. And he'd be damned if he put her in danger. He loved her too much for that.

"Trying to get to Rosie, are ya?" His brother smirked and Michael just smiled at him mysteriously.

"Just give me the phone, will ya?" He quipped. Lincoln happily obliged, knowing that his brother had finally found her. His very own happily-ever-after-wife-to-be. Probably mother-of-their-five-children-and-forteen-grandchildren.

Yes, he decided. Definitely.

Sara

Another day without Michael.

She stared at his picture in her wallet, and silently cursed it. It was his mug-shot. _I hate this, _she told the picture._I hate it that you're the only picture I have of him._ Still, one was better than none, and even though he wasn't smiling in the picture, he was still there. His eyes...His lips...The slight stubble on his jaw...It was Michael. He was with her, somehow.

"Sara?"

"Hmm?"

"A Veronica Donovan's here to see you about one of your patient, Mr. Gerard?"

"Ah, yes. Send her in, Katie."

In walked a slender woman, with hair as black as night, her long skirt pulled up high and her blouse neatly tucked away. The attorney.

"Ms. Donovan, it's a pleasure." She politely offered the woman her hand, and she took it.

"The pleasure is all mine, Doctor. I've heard a lot about you..." Sara gazed at her with wonder etched on her face.

"Francis talks about me?"

The woman leaned in closer and let out a chuckle, before quietly responding. "No, but Michael does..."

Sara looked at the woman, her heart beating in her chest and her smile spanding continents. Well, as much as her face allowed it to. "Mi – ?" Veronica pushed a finger to her lips to motion her to be silent. After all, she didn't know how safe this place was.

Sara pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and started to write, while bantering about Francis, and how successful his knee-operation had been.

"Yes, well, Francis' operation was very successful."

_Michael – is he okay? _

Veronica grinned and took the paper from her, scribbling her own words. "Well, I am very glad to hear..."

_He's fine. He said to tell you he misses you..._

"but I was wondering when he might be ready for his trial?" She continued, adding something else.

_Like hell._

Veronica 

Sara smiled, and Veronica could read the longing off of her face. She immediately felt a strong connection to this woman, and hoped that she could one day call her 'sister'. _Michael is a lucky man_, she thought, while she watched Sara push a strand behind her ear and pen something down hurriedly. Hm – quite a lot actually.

Was she writing him a letter?

Veronica had to admit that she was impressed by the way the doctor kept on chatting about Francis, never taking her eyes off of the paper. She's multi-functional! Veronica took a mental note of that – you never know when it might come in useful...

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the paper was pushed gently towards her. Fascinated, she started to read... (the doctor kept the Francis-talk flowing)

_Dito. Tell him, that if he has the time, I have a line that is a hundred percent safe. Tell him that I moved to our place – tell him,I needed a little "Somewhere in Between". But don't worry, I didn't sell my old place and still visit. So they have no reason to get suspicous. But I'm at the new place everyday from 10 pm until 6 am. _

_The owner of it was a lawyer, my cousin Thomas. Ergo, the line is protected by the client/attorney safe._

_And tell him I love him – and that he better be careful out there. He has to think for two now. _

Underneath it all, she had written a phonenumber. Veronica was happy.

And Michael would be happy out of his mind.

She stood up and fiercely hugged the woman. "He told me to give you this too – well, actually, he told me to kiss you, but I don't think that's such a great idea..." Her eyes sparkled misschievously, and Sara giggled.

"He's nuts, isn't he?"

She nodded. "He's in love - what do you expect?" She winked at Sara one more time and disappeared through the door.

Lincoln 

Michael snapped the phone shut and turned to his brother with a goofy smile on his face. "Linc, pull over."

"What? Did something happen?" Michael shook his head frantically.

" Linc-" he stated impatiently, nearly bouncing in his seat, " pull ooover, man!"

Lincoln shot his brother his weird look and Michael grinned. "A-ight, then I'm gonna do it right here..."

Sucre tried to puzzle the pieces together in his mind. _Call about doctorlady – Michael's doctor lady –Michael pretty excited – and then Michael doing..._

"LINCOLN!" He screamed. "PULL OVER!"

Lincoln threw his wheel over to the right and parked in the dusty sand of the deserted road, his eyes huge after Sucre's frantic scream. He saw his brother jumping out of the car and stared at him, shaking his head with a laugh as Michael threw his head in his neck and screamed his joy into the midnight air. He was jumping up and down and kicking the sand under his feet, laughing all the while. _That's a pretty happy man,_ Lincoln thought with satisfaction and pride. _A damn happy brother._

He grinned at Sucre, who was hyperventilating in the back – and couldn't help but laugh as his new friend wiped his forhead and puffed out his breaths.

"What?" He defended himself, "We have a stress-thing!"

_And a freaking funny friend._

Sara

Sara paced the ground in front of the huge loft windows. Wouldn't he have called by now? _Call me, Michael..._

She looked at the telephone and willed it to ring.

It did.

She glanced at the clock. 00: 34. At this hour, it could only be one person.

"Hello?"

"Sara..." He softly breathed into the phone, and she could hear the tears of joy spilling out, matching her own.

"Michael..."

* * *

_FYI, I don't think there is such a thing as a phone safe for lawyer/client calls, that can't be tapped. Yes, I made it up in my silly mind. I added some other POV's in this chapter, since there are more characters involved now. Do you think I have Lincoln and Veronica down? I'm a total Michael/Sara girl, and a big Sucre fan, so I don't know if the other characters are good..._

_Okay, people, you know what to do!_

_XO_

_ps: the sentence in the beginning is from "If I didn't have you" by Amanda Marshall. Yes, I've been listening to her non-stop again. The same three songs - over and over again. hehe._


	12. Hello?

**A/N : How time flies, huh? It seems like yesterday that I was sitting at this very same spot, listing to the same music...oh, wait. That wás yesterday, wasn't it?**

**XO**

* * *

_I just don't want to miss you tonight _

Sara

"Michael..." she whispered and sank down on the sofa. "Oh, Michael..."

She could hear him grinning next to her ear. Well, next to the phone. With all the miles seperating them. But that didn't matter now. It didn't matter that he wasn't ... here. Or anywhere she knew. For a few minutes, it didn't matter.

"Sara –"

She heard a faint voice mumbling something on the other end of the line and Michael growling at the person. She smiled. "What was that?"

"Lincoln, wondering wether we were going to say something besides names."

She laughed wholeheartedly. "Tell Lincoln to shut up."

"Linc – Sara wants you to shut up." She heard a small "_What?"_ And listened to Michael chuckle. "I'd do as the lady says, bro...You don't know her like I do..."

Sara gasped in shock. "Hey!"

Michael smiled. "So, are you okay? I mean, they haven't come for you, have they? You're safe?"

Ow, the poor chap was worried about her? "Stop worrying, Michael." She repeated her words from the other day. "I'm fine."

And she knew what he was going to say to that – she just knew. The guy could be so predictable, yet surprise her a little every day.

"Who said I was worrying?" See? Predictable.

She heard two voices snort. And distant mumbling, as Michael covered the mouthpiece to snap something at... whoever was there...and then he adressed her again. "I'm so sorry about that – I'm just gonna go a little further right now...My companions are seriously starting to piss me off..."

"Who else is there with you?" She swore to herself that if he so much as uttered the name 'Nika' she would seriously kick his ass. Love or no love. The distance between them now was nothing compared to the distance he would be flying when her foot connected with his butt.

"My lovely cellie Sucre."

Huh. She knew he wouldn't have Nika there. Nah, she trusted him completely...

"He is huh? Well, kiss him for me..."

Michael laughed. "Yes, of course. Thát's what I am going to do."

She smiled wickedly. "Noo? Well, then I suggest _you_ take that threat you gave your brother about me and place it on yourself,mister. Payback's coming your way."

He smiled broadly. "You wouldn't."

She huffed. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you looooove me.."

She giggled. "Love or no love, it's gonna be a week and a half of benchtime for you if you don't kiss Fernando." Sara smiled to herself and quickly added. "Right – Now."

He groaned. "You're not serious about this, are you."

"I want to hear little kissingsounds, Michael – and no cheating by kissing your hand. I want to hear Sucre yelp with that nice manly voice of his."

She closed her eyes to keep her laughter in. _Score. Sara : 1. Scofield : none._ Sara. Scofield.

_Hi, I'm Sara Scofield, it's nice to meet you. ... Yes, I'm Mrs Scofield, delighted to meet you._

She liked it.

- "Ay, Papi, what are you doing!"

- "Shut up, Suces, I need to get this over with."

- "Get what over with? Oh, man! You're not gonna go all crazy again and jump around in the sand, are ya?"

_Jump around in the sand?_ She thought. Argh! Men.

Well, Sara was very amused as she listened to scared exclamations of Sucre when Michael kissed his...well, hopefully his head. Or cheek. And as she had requested, kissing sounds could be heard.

"Are you happy now?" Michael silently asked her, distancing himself once again from the group to speak to her.

She laughed. "Very."

Michael

Well, kissing Sucre had been a small price to pay for hearing her laugh again. It was as if they were clear of danger at that moment, and he was just a man on a businesstrip, calling his wife to tell her he'd be home soon. Which reminded him...

"Hey – I almost forgot to tell you...I'm coming home."

She stayed silent. Well, not quite the reaction he'd been hoping for...Was she stunned? Scared? Angry? "Sara?"

"Are you – " she whispered softly to him. "Are you sure it's safe?" Ha! Scared. Not that he should be happy to find that out, but hey, it beat angry or disappointed, or...whatever.

"Sara, you have to believe me when I tell you that I am very sure that I'll be safe there. Besides, that way I can be with you, you know?"

"Michael," she frantically answered him, "I will wait, I promise you. I will – just don't rush anything to get to me, okay? I'd rather we be apart, but you be safe, then be together with you in immediate danger.."

"Sara..." he whispered tenderly, and it shut her up immediately. He could have shouted at her, raised his voice to get her attention, but only this – this silent whisper could make her keep silent. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" He didn't wait for an answer, and continued. "I _love_ you. More than I've ever loved anyone, Sara. And I would not for the world put you in any danger."

He could hear her smile. "Michael – loving a fugitive is not exactly safe to begin with, you know?" He nodded. "I just want you to be safe. Really. Is it safe?"

"Yes."

" Then come home..." She said. "Come _home._" Her voice cracked on the last word.

Come home.

* * *

_Yes, that was a pretty short chapter - sorry everyone, but Real Life kept interfering with the writing. .._

_Pleaaaase let me know what you think?_

_XO_

_Ps : Song I was listening to "Eva Cassidy - Fields of gold". Lyric in the beginning was from "The GooGooDolls - Iris" though. If you don't know that song - which I doubt - GET TO KNOW IT!_

_Love y'all. _


	13. Homecoming dance

**A/N : Goodevening once again, ladies and gentlemen. I've returned. Hehe. Tonight's theme band is Yellowcard – songs on repeat. Right , here goes.**

**Please review! **

**XO **

* * *

_I need you now, we're miles apart_

_I'll keep you deep inside_

_You're always in my heart_

_I need you now, we're miles apart_

Michael

Sitting at the wheel and staring off into the distance, Michael's thoughts wandered. No. Not so much wandered as 'kept on obsessing about the same thing he had been thinking about every since he started running'.

_Do you have any idea how much I love you?How much I need you?_

Sara. He was going home to her. He loved her and needed her...oh, he needed her so much. They passed a highway sign.

**Chicago, 27 miles**

He grinned and searched the radio for a proper 'soundtrack' for their _homecoming dance_. Noises and static were all that came out of the old thing, until he passed a certain frequency and felt Lincoln's head snap towards him.

"Hey Mike – we know this song...Turn it up, brother!"

Pumping their hands to fists, they threw them up in the air as far as the car would let them, and started bellowing out the chorus. Not... too off key..

"If I could find you now things would get better

We could leave this town and run forever

I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together

Let your waves crash down on me and take me away..."

The radio couldn't have been playing a better song. Because didn't this just describe the way they felt about their girlfriends, and each other?

_Run forever?_ They'd run enough. It was time to come home to the ones they loved. The ones they lived for.

Sara

_There's a piece of you that's here with me _

_It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see _

_When I sleep, I dream and it gets me by _

_I can make believe that you're here tonight _

_That you're here tonight_

She had to stop herself from yelping after their phonecall. He was coming home. Michael was coming home, and she'd finally see him again. She had to admit that she was scared, who wouldn't be. But the part that was excited won.

Because there is nothing like having the real thing. Sara has always been a bookworm, obviously. There was nothing like losing yourself in words. The feeling when something snaps in you, and you know exactly what the writer is talking about. Like you've been there – you felt it. And ever since she was a kid, she'd kept a notebook, now filled with pieces of everything. Words she could not forget.

And there it had been, the _real thing._ François de La Rochfoucauld once said : "True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about, and few have seen."

She saw. She felt. She loved.

_He's coming home._

Michael

_Home._ The place where I had felt more alive than ever. The place where she lived.

He could hardly breathe as he rang the doorbell, fearing he'd stand in front of her and – die. Or jump her. One or the other. He was so excited he could barely do it.

_Don't be a wuss, Michael. This is Sara. She'll probably be just as excited as you are. If you behave like an idiot – then be sure she will too._

Right. Right –

Michael sighed relieved as he saw an old lady exiting the building, and asked her to hold the door for him. She gazed at him with concerned, grandma-like eyes and raised her hand to his forhead, to do god-knows-what.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked (Michael noticed she didn't put her teeth in). "You look a bit – oh, what's the word" she tried to bite her nail in thinking, but seemed to be coming to the same conclusion he had. She grinned and raised her finger in triumph. "flushed."

He smiled softly. He supposed he did. Well, Michael, it's time to do what you do best : sweettalking the ladies. Go ahead, stud. Woo her. "Yes, ma'am. I'm a bit excited. In a minute, I'm going in and see the woman I love, tell her how I feel..."

Her face lit up. Ah, old ladies are so easy. Just throw a little romance and chivalry at them and they're eating out of your hand...It didn't matter that it was the truth, did it?

"My boy, you'll be marvelous. If I were forty years younger, I'd marry ya myself!" She looked pensive, as if trying to figure out if he wouldn't go for someone her age. Shaking her head a little, the white curls danced around her head.

_I bet Sara will be beautiful at old age._

"Go on," she ushered him inside. "Off ya go, darling." She swung her walking stick high in the air and turned around one last time to add, "I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of you in the future, lad." And then she was gone. Well, a few steps further – old ladies tend to be a little on the slow side.

Michael mounted the steps instead of taking the elevator and enjoyed the silence and time it provided him with. Thoughts...so many thoughts in his head. _Sara._

Finally arriving at the top floor, he anxiously knocked on the door, only to hear a soft "Who is it?" coming from the inside. That voice...Even though he'd heard it yesterday, it was different when it was only metres away, and didn't have the electric filter transferring it. Sara's voice _shone _when being near her. She shone.

Sara

"Who is it?" Praying, praying – oh, she wasn't a religious person, but at this moment, with this knock – she prayed.

Waiting. Why isn't the person speaking?

"Open it and find out.."

His voice._His_ voice. Michael's low, smooth voice that sent shivers down her spine.

He's here.

She ran to the door and pulled it open, flinging herself into his arms without skipping a beat. "Michael..." She buried her head in the crook of his neck and breathed. Breathed him in, smiling sillily the whole time.

"Sara, it's me...it's me..." he said, softly stroking her hair and squeezing his eyes shut. She could hear the wonder in his voice, as if he didn't believe it himself. But it was real.

"I love you so much.." she whispered next to his ear. "Never leave again."

He distanced himself so he could look in her eyes. Pushing her hair, that had fallen in her eyes, behind her ear, he kissed her tenderly and then grinned.

"Honey, I'm ho-ome..."

* * *

_Hey guys - as always, tell me what you think, please!_

_XO_

_Ps: gone to a concert tomorrow, so not sure I'll be able to update! But I'll try really really hard. I promise._


	14. Where the heart is

**A/N : Hey, y'all. Please tell me you haven't forgotten about me? I'm so sorry about yesterday, I really meant to update, but then I finally got home and was informed that my ride to the concert was there and we were to leave immediately. (grumpy) **

**The concert itself – wow, amazing. It was pure hard rock! And then a few slow songs thrown into the mix...Perfect. Ryan Adams, people!**

**Let poor little me know you haven't forgotten...**

**XO**

* * *

_Spinnin' so hard_

_I can't stand_

_Shadow of a shadowy man_

_Hold me up hold my hand (1)_

Michael

Smiling, she leaned into him and pressed her lips firmly to his. "Glad you're back."

He looked at her in wonder and tipped his head to the side, cupping her face. "I've missed that."

"What?"

"You,...your smile." He gestured widely around them, "this place..."

"Aww." Sara made a face as if he'd just said the cutest thing ever. "You missed me?" She smiled at him.

He kissed the mock frown out of her eyebrows and pulled back to look at her sweetly. "Of course I did...Why, didn't you?"

She scrunched her nose and looked away. "Nah. Not really..."

_Damn her!_ He laughed. _Well, two can play this game._

"Oh?" She shook her head. "Not even a little?" More headshaking, her soft hair floating around her face, covering up the smile he _knew_ was there.

"Then look me in the eyes when you say that." She slowly turned, and he could smell the victory near. But her face was made of stone as she repeated the words, looking straight into his eyes.

_Was it supposed to hurt?_

Sara

And then the look of complete heartbreak on his face is more than she can bare. She laughs and hits him up the head. "You idiot."

His sad eyes stare back at her and she kisses his full lips. "Of course I missed you!" Raining kisses all over his face, she continued in a sing-song voice. "I – I missed yo-ou...every day," a kiss pressed to the side of his neck made him shudder underneath her lips. "every night.." A gasp escaped from his lips as her lips touched his, only to pull away again. "with every breath I took." She concluded, then let him go and walked away, throwing him a challenging look over her shoulder.

He regained his composure and went after her. "Oh, you're going to pay for that."

She laughed and ran away from him, using the chairs and couches, plants and tables as her defense. And he let her believe that she was smarter than him, if only to hear that laugh. But when she stuck out her tongue at him and looked _so darn beautiful_, he couldn't take it anymore. Driving her over to the couches, he claimed her. She collapsed into a heap of giggles as he hovered over her, keeping her on the couch.

Looking into his eyes, she fell silent. Pushed herself upwards and pulled them both down. Like a blanket, he lay there, covering her. And she didn't mind. She loved every second of it. The soft candlelight turned the opposite wall into a scenery, and it was a beatiful thing to see, as his shadow became her shadow became their shadow. Their lips never disconnecting – their need for eachother too great.

"Michael..."she softly moaned against his lips and he could feel them tingling, driving him insane with desire. He loved her. So much.

It was here. She knew. The moment she'd been dreaming about ever since he... She can't rememember a time when she didn't love him. Should it scare her? Yes. Did it? Maybe. But she was too busy loving him, too far gone to climb back up.

And it was _here._ On the very same couch where they had spent their first moments _being together._ Her head on his chest. Their bodies, moving together, taking them to a place neither of them had been emotionally.

_It had never meant this much. Never been this real before._

The candle had gone out and the darkness covered them. But the one sole shadow remained.

_Hello to the world below _

_watching the world spinning _

_this night seems so unending _

_I follow to a place I know _

_that's only the beginning (2)_

* * *

The next morning.

* * *

Michael 

She'd gotten cold at one point during the night, and had cuddled deeper into him in her sleep. He had grabbed the blanket and covered them. Them – together. In this room, in this place so different from where they'd been before. Had they ever thought they'd be this way? Dreamt about it, yes. But ever thinking of it as a possibility? _You had. _He hadn't known if she would be able to forgive him. _You'd hoped._ Hope's a dangerous thing.

Well, he decided, _whether or not I'd anticipated it, right now – everything is perfect. _Watching her in his arms, softly breathing in the heat radiating from his body...it was wonder.

_Would you tell me, how could it be_

_Any better than this?(3)_

Sara 

Sara didn't think their was any feeling better than the one she had experienced the last twelve hours. Being able to physically tell Michael how she felt, and then falling asleep in his arms, waking up in them again – it was enough bliss to last a lifetime. She smiled to herself. Bliss that she'd be experiencing many many times more.

Because she wasn't scared of what the future would bring. Yes, he had upgraded from being a con to being a fugitive, but she knew that in the future, it would all be just a distant memory. The basis of their relationship.

She nuzzled his chest. _It's only the beginning._

* * *

_Ah, you have no idea how relieved I am to have written a chapter once again. This day of abstenence has been hell for me. Yes, I am obsessed, I admit it. _

_Tell me if that's a bad thing._

_The songs : _

_(1) Ryan Adams - Bartering lines_

_(2) Lifehouse - The beginning (on repeat while writing this chapter)_

_(3) Lifehouse - Everything (one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Please, if you don't know this song, listen to it. It's amazing. Warning : takes breath away.)_

_Love to you all._

_XO_


	15. Sheltered

**A/N : Oh man, what a weekend. Diners and shows have prevented me from updating daily – but no more. Next week'll be back to normal, I promise. I do hope people aren't starting to forget about this one. (sob)**

**Let me know!**

**Today's artist : Susie Suh. Great singer! Songs underneath chappy, as always.**

XO

* * *

_I am hungry for your love  
And I am starving for a better time  
But that's all we got here  
That's all we know  
That's all we've become  
Our recognition_

Sara 

"Michael?" she lifted her head up a bit to look into his face. He cracked one eye open and gazed at her lovingly. "This is great, isn't it?"

He nodded and combed his hand through her hair. "This is how it will always be."

She smiled softly. "Yeah, but not right now, huh?" Michael looked at her guiltily, with doubt written all over his face. "It's okay, Michael, I know this can't last." She shook her head sadly and pressed a kiss to his bare chest. "Not right now."

"Sara..."

"I'm not scared anymore, Michael. I mean, I was, once. And when you were on the run, I couldn't...couldn't... breathe. But now I understand it all. I understand that we will be together." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "Because, Michael, I can't not be with you anymore. I can't be fighting your war, but I'll be waiting, okay?"

He smiled down at her. "I love you so much, Sara."

She grinned. "I know. Now let's make pancakes."

Michael

She was right. He knew it. Yet it was so tempting to stay in denial and keep living in this bliss. She wasn't scared, she'd said. He was – at least a bit. Going back would be hell, and what about her? Could they keep on sneaking around? Could he do that to her? Or would he be transferred, far away from her, only seeing her once a week, with a sheduled hug and kiss? No. He shook his head. He couldn't do that. Couldn't bear to be with her for such a limited ammount of time.

_You shouldn't think about this now. _The voice inside his head was right : he shouldn't. So he pulled her close and kissed the flour off of her ear.

_In this moment  
I feel so much lighter  
In this moment  
I can breathe_

Starting to nibble on her earlobe, her head fell back on to his shoulder and he took the oppurtunity to press his lips to her neck, attacking it with featherlight kisses. She let go of the spoon in her hand and lifted her hand to cup his head behind hers, closing her eyes. He chuckled. "Pancakes are burning..."

Sara 

She shook her head. _Not important._

He reached behing her to turn off the stove and gathered her in his arms. "Which door to bedroom?" His voice was soft and smooth in her ears and aargh – she would never be able to resist this man. Besides, why would she want to?

"Second." She answered decisively. He dragged her over to the second door, and in her lustfilled haze, she could only follow.

Michael kinked his eyebrow. "I hope this isn't where you've been sleeping all this time."

"Huh?" She peered inside and saw a mob placed to the far wall, along with insectsprays and toiletcleaner. The janitorcloset. "Oh." She grinned. "No."

The next five minutes where spent finding the right door. The next five hours : finding themselves in each other.

"Michael?" She'd started tracing patterns on his stomach, and he lay there, so relaxed it seemed he could fall asleep any second.

"Hmm?"

"How's Lincoln? And Sucre? _Where's_ Lincoln and Sucre?"

Michael chuckled at her childlike questions."Lincoln is at Veronica's. Don't know 'bout Sucre though."

Sara sighed relieved. "Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"I really like Veronica. She's great. Did you know she came to me?" He smiled. "Right." She continued. "You'd sent her...You know, I really hope we can be sisters one day."

_Shit. There she'd gone, assuming she would become Michael's wife. Oops? _" Not that I'm assuming anything, you know. She's just great, is all I wanted to say..."

Michael

Yes, he'd heard her slip up. He just chosen not to elaborate. Yes, of course he wanted to marry her...He would. But he wanted to ask her himself, in the most romantic way possible. Not just agree with her slip up. Nice to know she felt that way, though.

He pulled her close in their bed and kissed her passionately. And through that kiss, she felt the things he wanted her to know. He knew it.

She blushed, making her look even more beautiful in the light of the downing sun. He brushed her cheek with his hand and she leaned into it. Edging closer to her, his lips were about to crash down on hers, when...

his cellphone rang.

He groaned and she sighed heavily as he went to retrieve it in the pocket of his jeans, discarded on the floor.

"Yeah?"

"MICHAEL!" Lincoln's voice shouted through the telephone. "I'M FREE!"

* * *

_Writing chapters always feels so darn good! Feels even better when I get lots of reviews, though. Please? Pretty please?_

_Songs : _

_1) Recognition_

_2)Harmony_

_Both Susie Suh songs._

_XO - Laura._


	16. Party 'Poopers?

**A/N : Thanks so much for reviewing everybody! I know you've had to put up with a lot from me. Hehe. "I'm not worthy of you" (smiles) And even though I'm not worthy – please keep on telling me if you like...please?**

**This chappy'll be dealing with Lincoln's freedom, and Michael's...not-freedom. It's Partytime. Oh, yes it is!**

**Song on repeat : Peter Bradley Adams – One Foot Down.**

**XO**

* * *

Sara 

"MICHAEL! I'M FREE!" She heard Lincoln's voice shout over the phone and she felt, rather than saw, Michael's smile spread over his face.

"That's AWESOME, man!" he yelled into the phone. Loudly. But other than Michael's happiness, she could feel something else deep inside of him. That little part of fear that made his voice waver slightly on the last syllable. She rolled over to him and sat up slightly, resting her hands on his shoulders and pressing a kiss between his shoulderblades. Michael visibly relaxed and turned around to meet her lips, all the while listening to Lincoln rambling over the phone and once in a while throwing in a "that's great!". She came to straddle him and flung her arms around his neck, resting her head in the crook of his body.

His hand came up to touch her hair, and she practically started to purr. He chuckled. She faintly heard Lincoln (his volume had gone down a bit) ask him what he thought was so funny.

"Oh." Michael stuttered. "Nothing."

Sara motioned to him to hand over the phone, and he looked at her gratefully. "Hold on, man.. The ball and chain wants to talk to you..." Smiling, he handed over the phone.

"That was so very not funny, Michael." She clicked her tongue and he grinned misschievously, and hurriedly pressed his lips to hers before she could protest further. She moaned softly into the kiss, before pulling away an inch. "Your brother's on the phone, honey."

Michael shrugged. "Screw him."

She laughed. "Lincoln?"

Michael 

"We're so happy for you!"

Michael smiled. They were a _we_ now. Not a you, or a me. They were a _we_. It gave him butterflies. Which is actually a girl-thing.

Whatever. No one needed to know, right?

But one day, he'd start shouting it off of the rooftops and never stop. He'd slide that ring on her finger and spend the rest of his life with her.

They'd be waking up like they were now, the way he'd seen it on that day in the hospitalwing.

He turned his attention back to the woman he'd been daydreaming about, the one he'd been waiting for all this time. He smiled at her when she pushed her hair behind her ear and listened to his brother's excited ramblings. She was wearing his T-shirt, that was three sizes to big for her – but it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Michael." She woke him with a snap of her fingers. "Hold on a second, Lincoln."

"_It's Linc."_

"Okay," she chuckled. "Hang on, _Linc._" She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and spoke to Michael. " What do you say we have a party for your brother over here tonight? I'm sure you'd love to see him?"

He pressed a kiss to her temple. How was it that she always seemed to know exactly what he needed the moment he needed it? He nodded against the side of her face.

"Okay. Linc – how do you feel about coming over around seven-ish, and let us throw you a party?"

Michael laughed at the happy yelp that came from the phone.

"Michael – I think that's a yes, right?"

He nodded and pulled the phone out of her hand. "Yeah, Linc. Alright – bye." Snapping the phone shut, he pressed her down onto the bed and started kissing her ears while she playfully hit him.

"Be nice to your brother, Michael."

He growled sweetly. "I was." He murmured against her cheek.

She laughed and quickly threw out a "You're lucky I love you, you idiot...", before giving in to him. Who was she to resist?

* * *

At six, Sara was running around the appartement like a whirlwind. He loved to see her all worked up, her cheeks all flushed and her make-up only partly done.

Lincoln had called them about six times, and they never picked up the phone. When they finally found the time, they found out the _schmuck_ had left them messages. Six.

_#1 _"_Uh, yeah, Mike – what's the address again?"_

_#2 (chuckle) "You're busy huh?"_

#3 "_I'll keeeep on caaallling yoouuuu."_

#4 "_So, what do you think I should wear tonight?"_

#5 "_Right – I found an outfit. I need shoes. Michaaaeeel, do you have any shoes my size?Or Sara, for that matter... hehe"_

#6 "_Gosh – you guys are unbelievable. ... I'm getting bored. Call me back, yeah?"_

Michael had rolled his eyes, while Sara found it highly amusing. So, Michael left Sara to call him back. They were on the phone for half an hour, for Pete's sake! And now Sara was panicking to get ready.

He'd seriously have to grill Lincoln for hogging his girl.

Sara 

She was ready at a quarter to seven, falling onto the couch exhausted from all the running. Shouldv'e known better than to wear these new shoes while getting ready.

Of course Michael only took fifteen minutes to get ready. She envied him and his good looks. Speaking of, he was looking at her again, with those piercing chrystal eyes. "You look beautiful."

Sara smiled. " Yeah?"

He nodded and came to sit beside her on the couch. "Yeah." He kissed her thoroughly until she was struggling for breath. She was flushed again. "Damn it!" She hit him out of nowhere.

He grinned sweetly. "What did I do?"

"You know damn well what you did." She snorted. He laughed. She laughed. "You are so not getting any tonight."

His laughing came to an abrupt stop.

Just then the doorbell rang, and Sara was grateful, sure that she'd cave in if she'd have to spent another minute looking at his puppyface.

"Hey!" She greeted their guests (Michael was sulking on the couch). "Linc – congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"

She heard Michael mutter grumpily. "_I'm_ so happy. Sure, why not!"

Sara corrected herself. "_We're_ so happy." Lincoln raised his eyebrow. "Don't mind your brother, Linc, he's being an infant."

Lincoln smiled. "What else is new?"

"Veronica!" Sara envelopped her into a hug. "So happy to see you again!" Veronica eagerly hugged her back and whispered: "Hey there, _Sis._"

They collapsed into a heap of giggles. Sara was happy. Happier than she could ever remember being. She had a lover, a sister, and a brother. Oh – she added as she noticed LJ standing in the doorway – and a nephew.

"Hey, you must be LJ right? I'm Sara." LJ held open his arms and she hugged him back.

"I know." He said. "You have quite a fanbase, you know?" Sara laughed.

"I suppose that's a ... good...thing?"

He grinned. "Yes, even if the fans are _lunatics_." He raised his volume at the last word, and Lincoln turned around to shoot him a glare.

"Now boys," Veronica admonished. "Play nice. And you Sara..." she walked over to where Sara was standing. "Have to tell me all about the big Reuniting." Sara linked her arm through Veronica's and they moved to the kitchen counter, giggling after every three sentences that were spoken...

* * *

Three hours later.

* * *

"Well, Sara. That was _delicious._" Lincoln praised, while Sara bowed to them.

"Glad to be of service."

Lincoln nodded. "Michael didn't help one bit, did he?"

"Hey!" His brother exclaimed. "I cut the vegetables."

"Yes, _you did,_ sweetie." She walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm so _proud._"

Shooting Veronica a look that said _'ah – men, give 'em one compliment and they're in seventh heaven.'_, Sara leaned down to whisper something I Michael's ear.

"You're still not getting any."

The rest of the table laughed as they saw Michael's face change from exuberant to down-right sad.

They could all guess what he'd been denied.

* * *

_'Kay, everybody - the party's not over yet! Lemme know what you think of this part, though! Thank you so much for sticking with me...really means a lot._

_XO_


	17. Party Poopers? II

**A/N : So, this is the continuation of yesterdays chapter. Fluff, fluff, and more fluff. **

**Not really a song on repeat tonight, but right now, Prison Break Anthem (Kaye Styles) is playing...**

_**Yeah, yeah, yeah...Michael Scofield, the greatest kid, the clock's ticking, prison break...**_

**Hehe. Please review.**

**XO**

* * *

Everyone 

Michael groaned. "Sar –a ."

But she just kept on going with that bouncy step of hers, moving to the kitchen to place the dishes in the sink. Lincoln immediately stood up to help her.

"You know, Sara, I've never seen him like this..."

She grinned. "Pouting because he's been denied?"

He let out a throaty laugh. "In love."

"Oh." They both turned their heads simultaneously and gazed lovingly at Michael interacting with LJ. She smiled broadly. "I love him too, you know."

He smiled at her and pulled her in, pressing a kiss to her forhead. "I know."

"Linc! BACK ... OFF." Michael growled in the distance and his brother pulled back, but only a little.

"Oh, shall we tease his poor soul some more, Sara?"

She giggled and nodded softly. "Right on." She threw her hands around his shoulders and eased her head down on his chest, feeling Lincoln stroke her hair. They heard a loud screeching of a chair being pushed away quickly and mere seconds later they were pulled apart by two strong hands.

"Michael!" They uttered, annoyance clearly noticable.

"What!" He pulled Sara against him possesively and shot his brother a death glare. _Mine._ "Didn't you two get enough quality time on the phone earlier?" Sara laughed quietly into his chest. "And you –" he spoke to her. "You think this is all funny, don't you?"

She distanced herself a bit to look at him and laughed wholeheartedly. "Yes."

He kissed her. "You're mean."

She gasped before pressing her lips back to his. "I'm sweet."

"Yeah," he said. "That too."

Veronica cleared her throat. "Guys, may I remind you that we have a _child_ present?"

LJ threw in a "Hey!" before he started laughing too. "Yeah – I'd rather not see you guys slobbering all over eachother – do you mind?"

Sara smiled and gently pushed Michael away from her. "He's right. Now, you three go over there and do you testosteron thing – I kept Thomas' collection of playstation games..."

"DUDE! We can play on this huge screen?" She nodded and wiggled her eyebrows.

"...and me and Veronica are going to be painting each other's toenails in the bedroom." She winked at them. "Oh – any preferences?"

Lincoln looked confused. "On?"

His son rolled his eyes. "The color, Dad."

"Ah." He looked at Michael, who just shrugged and said. "Something pretty."

Veronica chuckled and added loud enough so the guys could hear. "How 'bout green? Oh, and I'm great at doing stars on the nails. How about I do those in orange?" She was still throwing out suggestions when she pulled the door closed behind them, leaving Michael scared and wide-eyed.

"You don't think they were serious, do you?"

* * *

Veronica laughed. "Did you see his face when I started off about the green and orange?" Sara collapsed into laughter – not being able to stop.

"He...was...so...scared!"

Veronica high fived her. "We did good."

"Yeah," Sara confirmed. "We did...Oh, did I tell you about the big screw-up I commited this morning?"

Veronica shook her head and eagerly pulled a pillow against her chest. "So yeah- I just, like, _assumed _I'd become Michael's wife. I kind of, you know – told him." She flushed beetred and Veronica smiled.

"You call that a screw up? Girl, you were just stating the obvious."

Sara beamed. "Really? You think?"

Veronica pushed her lovingly. "I know. We're totally gonna be sisters one day, I mean – for real."

"Oh, so then we can do this?" Sara pulled her pillow from behind her and smashed it into Veronica's face.

"Oh my God." Veronica uttered totally shocked. "You did not just do that." Sara stuck out her tongue. "You just wait." She laughed, smashing her pillow onto Sara. " Sister, I'm gonna make you PAY!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the livingroom, the men tore their looks away from the huge screen and gazed in the direction of the bedroom as they heard roaring, yelping and screaming come from behind the closed door. And then silence. Weird silence.

LJ just kept playing. "Guys – I'm beating your asses out here! Don't say I didn't..." Noticing their lack of interest, he put the game on pause and looked in the direction they were staring off into. "What?"

At that moment, the door opened and Sara stepped out, her blouse rumpled and feathers sticking out of her hair. She walked a few metres, and then just stood still, a look of shock on her face. "Michael." She evenly stated. "We need new pillows."

Veronica exited the room and clung to the door as if it was her lifeline. Sara swung her head around and their gazes locked. The men just sat there, watching everything with interest.

Sara started making weird noises, sounding like "Hurh. Hurh, hurh."

And then both women fell to the floor and started laughing uncontrollably, leaving their boyfriends clueless.

LJ finally spoke up. "What just happened?"

Michael's mouth fell open. "I have no idea."

* * *

A few hours later, after they'd said goodbye to their guests, Sara sank down on the couch. "Sjeesh..That was so much fun."

Michael pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, sighing a little. "Yeah, it was." He smoothed the surface of the couch. "So, is this where I'll be sleeping tonight?"

"Michael.." Sara smiled defeatedly. "honey, I lost my pillow."

"...aaand...?"

"And I need something to sleep on. Like your chest..?" She turned to look sweetly into his eyes.

He groaned playfully. "Ah- the things I do for you..."

She laughed and pulled him over to the bed. "You better not try anything though..."

Only thirty minutes later, he felt her hands roaming his body, travelling lower...and lower... He smiled and murmured. "I thought you said not to try anything."

"I did." She whispered. "But I didn't say I wouldn't."

* * *

_(singing) Let me know - oh, oh, ooooh, - let me know!_

_XO_


	18. Live, love and learn

**A/N : You guys, I know everybody has been wondering about how Michael was on terms with the law, so in this chapter you'll find out. Aaah, the drama - or not drama - has arrived. About time, after all the fluff I've been throwing your way.**

**This is an important chappy, so please let me know what you think - I need you!**

**XO**

* * *

Sara 

Sara woke up and sweetly kissed the sleeping Michael's chest. She would always, always treasure this when he was...away. The hearing was this afternoon, and her gut told her it wouldn't be long until he was taken away from her. Did you ever just – _know_ things? She did. And she knew it. She could feel that Michael wouldn't be like this, holding her in his arms while he slept, for much longer. Pretty soon he'd be lying in a cramped cell, in a bunk with filthy sheets and a snoring cellmate above him.

She whimpered, praying he'd be okay in there. Which left the eternal question : what about them? Would he be sheduled to go back into the high, stone, yet for her somehow comforting walls of Fox River? Would she still be his doctor, and see him mere minutes a day – or would they be ripped apart, and she would know he was mere hallways away from her, her heart and body aching to be with him?

A sigh escaped her lips. She'd wait. For as long as she had to, but time would pass by slowly. Would he etch marks into the walls, waiting to return to her? She smiled. It was such an 'expected' behavior of a prisoner, and she knew he wouldn't do it. No. He'd be counting minutes in that genius mind of his, he'd know exactly how many seconds had passed since the beginning, how many more would come 'till the end.

She was startled by his lips on her cheek. "We'll be okay, you know."

Turning her head towards him, she pressed a kiss to his nose. "I know. It's just..." her eyes started to tear up. "sometimes I hate this, Michael. I really...hate this, you know? I hate the fact that we're just starting this fairytale life again, and it will be taken away from us any second now. I hate it that I won't be able to hold you again, and to wake up next to you..I hate the fact that your mugshot is the only picture I have, and that I... I..." She shook her tearstaind head at a loss of words.

He pulled her softly into him and threaded her hair through his fingers. "Don't cry. We'll make it through. And we live now, to last us for as long as it has to." His big eyes looked into hers. "What's time when you have a lifetime to spend afterwards, with each other? We need to..." he swallowed hard. "We need to see the bigger picture here. I'll do my time and then I'll come home. In the meantime, I'll love you always."

She nodded softly. "Okay."

He placed a quick peck on her lips, but was unprepared she pulled him deeper into her, needing to be devoured by him, needing to _be together._ Who knows when it would stop?

_And we live now..._

* * *

Later in the morning, she took the phone to the bedroom while Michael went to take a shower. She felt relieved when the now familiar voice picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ronnie, it's me." Sara had taken to calling Veronica 'Ronnie', because she felt that she should set herself apart from the male 'Vee'crowd. Veronica liked it. It was like a babysister who couldn't pronounce the name in the toddleryears, and a name that stuck until late in their lives.

"I need the truth." She continued. "The whole truth. I need to know."

Veronica didn't need to ask what her baby sis was talking about, she knew exactly what she wanted, _needed _to know. She could only imagine how she would feel if the roles were reversed. But they weren't. Her man was safe now...

" Honestly, it's looking pretty good so far. If I can get them to understand why Michael did the things he did, which I'm pretty sure I can pull off, they might drop that sentence. But they can't let him get away with escaping..."

"I know." Sara rolled her hand over her face. This was good news, right?

"Heeey –" Veronica drawled out. "This is good news. Remember, the government owes Lincoln. Hell, owes us all for unraveling the plan. They're not going to be to hard on him today."

"Not today...But in prison?" She sighed. "I hate this, Ronnie."

Michael 

Michael stood by the door. Yes, he was eavesdropping, but he knew she needed her alone-time, and he needed his Sara-time, so what was a guy to do? At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to walk into the room and pull her close, make her feel the reality of this. Of them.

He was scared about this afternoon. He was scared that they wouldn't understand. Hell, who could? Michael was a complex human being, sometimes he didn't even understand himself. Retreating into his own mind for hours at a time, getting lost in all the mazes inside of him, there was no map traced on his body to escape from his thoughts.

At least he knew Sara wouldn't be alone anymore. She had a family now. Their family. They'd take care of her. And just maybe, they'd see each other often. He still had a Taj to finish and the Warden loved Sara. The Warden had loved him too. Maybe...

"I need to go, Michael's getting out of the shower any minute now."

"I have faith in you, Veronica."

"Same here. See ya, okay?"

He hurried back into the bathroom and didn't reappear for ten minutes. When he did, Sara rushed over to him, a neatly pressed suit draped over her arm and a small smile on her face.

"Here's your suit." Quickly placing a kiss on his lips, she walked over to the kitchencounter and fetched him the cup of coffee she'd made for him. "Here.Have some coffee."

He swung his arm around her and pressed her close to him, capturing her lips in a way that left them both breathless. The cup of coffee was squeezed in between them, but neither minded. They only felt eachother. Their touches, their breaths - _their_ kiss.

He released her lips and softly stroked her necklace. "Always remember." He whispered next to her ear.

She nodded and smiled a little. "How could I forget?"

"Now get yourself ready, Mister! You have to look decent today."

He gasped. "I _always_ look decent. Hell, I could go like this," he spun around in his outfit, that consisted of a towel draped around his waist, "and still charm the crap out of those people."

She nodded her agreement. "Oh, yes, Michael, why don't you walk into that courtroom exposing the tattoos that form the blueprints of the prison you escaped from."

He rolled his lips into his mouth. _Oh yeah._

She laughed and mumbled '_idiot' _under her breath, before flopping down onto the couch and waiting for him to get ready.

* * *

_So what? _

_So long _

_So sad _

_I wanna be strong _

_Don't try to take him from me _

_I've already spent living half my life undone_

Sara 

She prayed. Sara wasn't a religious person, but right now, as she sat in her office at Fox River (it was Monday after all, and if she didn't come in, for the third day in just a few weeks time, things would look suspicious) while Michael was standing in that courtroom, Sara prayed.

In her mind, she could see Veronica striding confidently into the courtroom, and Michael toughen up and sit next to her calmly. She saw the crowd rise when the judge walked in, and felt Veronica breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of the judge. It was the same one that had sentenced Michael last time.

-- the courtroom --

"Your honor," Veronica started her defense. "If I may..." The judge nodded softly and Veronica stepped up to the front of the courtroom. "Your honor, Michael Scofield has always been a good civilian. Honest, hard-working and always extending a helping hand to the one needing it the most. He was loyal, most of all. These last two qualities, that are always present in good _men_, made him act the way he did."

She took a breath.

"Your honor, the defendent's mother passed away when the brothers were merely children, and their father had abandoned the family a long time before that. After their mother's death, Lincoln Burrows became Michael Scofield's father, mother and friend. They were all the other had. Lincoln Burrows had not commited the crime he was charged with, your Honor, as the court has previously stated. His younger brother knew this, and as he suffers from LLI, a mental state that results into caring more about others than about yourself, it is not to be expected that he felt like he needed to save the only person who cared about him as a child, from a death he did not deserve? Mr. Scofield put everything he could to the cause of saving his brother, mother and father."

" Your honor, Michael Scofield cared so much that even though he knew he would be punished, he put his own life at risk to save his brother's. The crime he commited was not a violent one, your Honor. The cassier that was on duty when he went into the bank, will testify for his cause here today. She will tell us all that Michael was friendly towards her and did not at any point threaten her. He even started to make light conversation. Is the crime he committed enough to punish a man only trying to save a life?"

"Your honor, Michael does not make excuses for the escape, and has agreed to pay his dues, the way you feel it should be payed. But I request that you keep in mind that a good civilian, with a mental state of caring engraved in his mind, only tried to save a life."

She nodded politely.

"I thank you."

She sat back down and squeezed Michael's leg. His thoughts dwelled on Sara. He knew she was scared out of her mind right now and hoped that the jury would not punish him to hard, for her sake.

All they could do now was wait.

* * *

An hour later

* * *

"All rise!" the guard bellowed out and the crowd held its breath as the judge positioned herself back into her chair.

"Mr. Scofield – rise!"

Michael stood up with a blank look on his face. He didn't want to act sad and have the judge think he was putting on a facade, neither did he want to look confident and have the judge think he felt certain that he was going to avoid serious punishment.

"Mr. Scofield," the judge began. "Less than a year ago, you were standing exactly where you are now, and I was sitting right here before you. At that point, I felt you were a criminal, a good man that had strayed, destructing himself and endangering the world in the process. It seems however, that I did not know all the facts at that time. The cassier has pleaded in your favor, and I can see that you did not endanger anyone and I can also see why you did put _yourself_ at risk. You served a noble cause, fighting for the freedom of an innocent man, and I do not know if I would have had the same courage had me and my sister been in the same position. I would, no doubt, have tried other techniques to free her. But I understand that with your mental condition, you were desperate. I still do not approve of the technique, but there are worse things to be considered in this case."

"Mr. Scofield – you broke 7 people out with you, and only one of them was innocent. Two passed away after the escape, but there are still 5 people remaining at large. 2 of them being dangerous criminals. I request that you do everything you can to help us track down these men. With that planners-brain of yours, I do not think it will be a hard task." She smiled a little.

"Furthermore, as of tomorrow, you will spend 18 months at the Fox River Prison, where I hope you will stay this time, as you have no motive of leaving anymore. You will be watched closely. Parolehearing after 6 months. This court has decided."

The judge smiled as Michael was pulled into a great hug by his brother, and she knew she would have been looking at a dead man had his brother not sacrifised his whole life for him. She admired him, she really dead. Quietly, she retreated back into her room, smiling all the way.

Michael

Parole after six months. SIX MONTHS! It was more than he had hoped for. Or should he say : less than he had dared hope?

_Sara._

He grinned.

-- the infirmary --

Sara held her breath as she turned on the radio to listen to the news. This was the broadcasting that could make or break her happiness.

"This is just in from ChicagoNews FM – Michael Scofield, the man who broke his brother out of prison along with 6 other fugitives, has been sentenced for 18 months at Fox River, with a chance of parole after six months. Scofield's lawyer was not available for an interview, but sources say she is very pleased. She should be, because the whole country was cheering for her and holding its breath, praying for the man to be able to start over.

The Highway surrounding Chicago has..."

Sara yelped and tears started streaming down her cheeks. Six months. SIX MONTHS!

"Katie!"

Katie rushed into the room and pulled Sara into a warm embrace. "Honey, I heard.I'm so happy! He deserved this."

Sara nodded and turned her eyes into a quiet plea. Katie smiled warmly. "Well, off you go, girl! I'll tell the Warden you had an appointement with your father..every one knows how demanding he can be." She winked and laughed wholeheartedly as Sara ran out of the door. Her eyes followed the woman all the way to her vehicle, untill she sped away through the gates.

Sara's car came to an abrupt stop as she passed a car on the road that was too familiar. Just a few metres further, the car came to a stop too, and the backdoors swung open. She saw Michael jumping out and quickly unbuckled and ran over to him, flinging herself into his arms.

Their tears mingled on their cheeks and the pressed themselves together, melting into the other.

They were happy – together.

* * *

_So? (bites her lip anxiously) Please let me know what you think - and, oh, wasn't this a long chapter? hehe_

_Song Blue October - 18th floor balcony/It's just me._

_XO_


	19. Now and Later

**A/N : Right here, behind my laptop again, trying to roll the kinks out of my shoulders. I feel tense. A hot cup of tea next to me. (Raspberry).**

**Aah...mmm.**

**Thank you all so much for reviewing, it really means the world to me...**

**XO**

* * *

_All the things you are to me, darling you have set me free. (Michelle Featherstone)_Sara and Michael

She was happy. Well, as happy as she could be. Only six months to endure, and they would probably see each other everyday. Maybe she could – talk to the Warden about this? About seeing him a little longer, and be the only escort on his monthly trips for a check-up in the hospital?

So there they lay, satisfied after a thorough exploration of each other, naked on the bed without the pillows. Their hands were intertwined on his chest, and his other hand carressed her shoulder, making her arch her body in comfort.

Michael lovingly listened to the soft moans coming out of her throat, the silent purrs of satisfaction. He was happy, so happy, with her. But he was worried. Who knew what these months would give them, who knew how often they would still see eachother? Sure, he would go in for his 'daily shot', but they had decided not to treat him anymore. As his doctor, she had claimed it to be too dangerous. And she was right. So now his 'treatement' would be all Sara-loving. He smiled, but it disappeared as he defined the Sara-loving he would be getting : no kisses, no being together, no showing her how he felt in every way possible. Would it destroy them?

There was a way he'd be able to really _see her_ in prison, but he didn't want it to be like that. Didn't want his proposal of marriage to be just a way to get her into a small room, sheltered from the other visitors, with only a cramped bed and hardly any sunshine pouring through. No. When he asked her to be his wife forever, it would be perfect. Just the way he had planned it to. Because he had no trouble with planning, and he'd have six months to think it over.

He grinned as he remembered Sucre's proposal to Maricruz – it was probably the thing that had made them bond from the start. _"Pashion."_ He laughed.

She raised her head from his chest and placed her chin on his collarbone. "What are you thinking about?"

Michael smiled at her. "Sucre." He answered. "My _bestest_ buddy."

Sara smiled. She'd always liked Fernando, especially when he started bunking with Michael. She didn't know if Michael could have made it through without him. A frown formed on her face. "You're not going to turn him in, are you?"

He shook his head decidedly. "No way. I'm just out to get the bad guys back where they belong."

She kissed him full on the lips, exagerating the kissing sound. "I'm happy." She said. "I'm happy, Michael."

He pushed his fingers through her hair and raised his eyebrow at her quizically. She traced a heartpattern on his chest and nodded again. "I am. And we'll make it. It's not as if we won't ever see eachother, right?" She nodded. "Right. And who knows," she suggestively wiggled her eyebrows, "maybe you'll get lucky and I'll pull up the curtain every once in a while."

He giggled and told her in a childlike voice : "Oh, I feel like it's Christmas and my birthday at the same time."

She slapped him lightly. "You're a lucky bastard...don't ever forget."

He kissed her. "I'll always remember.."

* * *

Morning came too soon for the both of them. Sleep had been an extra on the side that night, and they were still awake when the darkness turned to light again. Michael pushed himself up on his elbow and stared at the only woman he had ever loved, sweetly brushing her hair off of her forhead. She battered her eyelashes at him and a low laugh escaped his throat. She raised herself a few inches and with her mouth sought out his, before dropping herself onto the matress again, bouncing back until the echos of her body had died out. He smiled broadly at her and his eyelids drooped a little.

"You know I love you so much I can't stand it sometimes, right?"

She smiled. "That's a lot of love, Michael." He nodded confidently. "But you know, I think the things I feel are even more than that."

He gasped. "Impossible."

Sara laughed out. "Oh man, we're there."

"Where?"

"In that teenager-stage." She mimicked a starry-eyed teenaged. "_I love you more."_

Michael grinned and shook his head, touching her nose briefly. _"No, I love you more!"_

They both shook their head. "How 'bout we call it even?"

"Deal."

* * *

An hour later, their livingroom was crowded with Lincoln, Veronica and LJ, all telling Michael their 'later's. Not goodbyes.

And then the moment came, and they all drove to the courthouse together. Michael was in the backseat, holding Sara in his arms and kissing her softly and passionately. No other passenger complained, but they all stared out the window and smiled thinking of the two of them, happy that they'd found each other. Lincoln almost felt that it was worth almost being executed for.

Well – almost.

They pulled up in front of the harsh building and Michael turned to Sara. "I think it's best if you don't come with us." She gasped in surprise and opened her mouth to protest.

"Michael - !"

"Listen." With a kiss, he silenced her. "If they see you here with me, it could ruin all chances for us. They could find out, Sara." He stroked away her tear with his thumb. "I won't be far gone, okay?" She nodded quietly. "I love you."

Broken, she whispered her 'I love you' back to him. He pulled her face to his one last time, making it last as long as he could, and then slowly released her. Pressing his lips to her forhead, he swung the door open and stepped out, looking at the blue sky. How could it be so pure on a day like this?

He walked towards the door and turned back one more time, mouthing an 'I love you so much' in the direction of the car.

He knew she was watching.

* * *

_So, that was the 'later' chapter. Now, tell me, do you want detailed tellings of their relationship inside the walls, or do you feel more like a 'six months later'? _

_As always, let me know how you feel - really important._

_XO_


	20. Back where it all began

**A/N : Hey people – thank you so much for all the reviews on the last chapter – keep it up, please! It made my day so much better**.

**Today is Friday the 13th. And yes, I am a bit superstitious. I really needed to write, to scare it all away. Writing daily is so amazingly great - it's like...ah. Relaxing.**

**A new character has come to life inside my head – You like?**

**XO**

* * *

That night.

* * *

Michael

He had been applauded upon entering the A-wing again. Applauded, slapped on the back, and asked for favors. He just shook his head at them, careful not to piss off any inmates on his first day back. "They changed all the weaknesses." He told them. "The way out is gone." It was true, you know – they _had _changed all of the weaknesses. And this time, he'd stay put. Why would he run again?

His cellmate was okay. He was no Suces, but he was okay. He didn't utter a word. Not only to Michael, but to anyone. He shied away from anyone who came close to him and just shrugged off anything that was said to him. It was after his tenth time of trying to communicate with the man about five years his junior, that Michael found his purpose for the next six months – protecting again.

He closed his eyes tightly as he lay on the bunk, hoping that if he'd squeeze them shut tight enough, Sara would appear in his arms. He'd softly run his hand down her arm, making her shiver and allow goosebumps all over her skin. After that, he'd trail the path his hand had been following with his lips, and end up with his hand and mouth at the crook of her neck, making her purr with satisfaction and need. His mouth would move to her ear, and his hand would go around her waist, pulling her into him. _Goodnight, Sara._

Sara

This bed is too large now, after he has been sleeping in it. There is this huge emptiness that can't be filled. Her hand smoothed the already neat sheets next to her, unwrinkeled because his body hadn't been lying there.

_You'll see him tomorrow._

She wanted to see him tonight. To fall asleep in his arms and to awaken in them again. To wake up just because she could feel him staring at her while she was sleeping, making her blush, because she wasn't a sleeping beauty – oh no. Her friend had once taped her when they were 20, and uh – it wasn't pretty, people! But he didn't seem to mind.

Sara allowed one silent tear to escape down her cheek. Only one. That's all she had promised herself. So she wiped at it, and stared blankly into the darkness surrounding her. The shadows...there were so many...and ghosts. Images of them here together.. If she wanted to keep her promise, she needed to get out of there. Fast.

The padding of her two feet could be heard, resonating off the high walls, as she walked into the livingroom in her PJ's. _That couch..._She shook her head sadly. _That couch..._

The microwave beeped its way through the darkness, announcing the hot water was ready to be flavored. Camomille always made her fall into a deep, deep, deep deep sleep. It was just the thing for tonight. Lifting the lid to the box that held her remedy, she peered at the note inside. _Get some sleep, Sara. I'm fine. Love you always – Michael._ She took the note and rubbed it between her fingers, hearing his voice speaking the words to her inside his head. How is it that he always seemed to know what she needed, the moment she needed it? Sara smiled. Because he's Michael.

Settling down on _that couch_ with a steaming cup of tea in her hands, she stared at the huge TV-screen. _Homeward bound?_

She grinned widely and pressed the play-button, not surprised in the least when she spotted Chance ripping blouses apart. He'd even thought of this, she realised.

He knew it all.

* * *

The next day

* * *

Michael 

"COUNT!"

Michael hurried outside to stand next to his cellmate, who made sure no contact could be made between their bodies. He peered at him out of the corner of his eye, looking all skittish.

"Redford, Brown. ... Brooks, Heyman. ... Scott, Scofield. ..." The CO's head snapped up and Michael felt a great need to spit into his face. Bellick.

"Well, well, collegeboy, back so soon?"

Michael nodded politely, his anger boiling just below the surface. " Yes, Sir. You'll forgive me for not sending you a postcard, I ran out of time." His smirk almost went by unnoticed. Almost.

"Think you're funny – think I'll laugh?" Bellick bellowed. **A/N : hehe, Bellick bellowed.** "I'll laugh when I am through with you."

Scott touched Michael's arm briefly and glared at Bellick. The CO just shrugged and moved on to the next cell with a huff.

"Benson, Rivers. ..."

Michael turned to his cellmate. "So, Scott, right?"

He just shrugged and rolled his lips back into his mouth. "First name?"

Scott's head turned back. _Ben _he mouthed. Michael grinned. "Thanks. I'm Michael by the way."

Ben shook his head and smirked at Michael. _I know, dufus. _

* * *

And then it came. The moment he had been craving for the last twenty-nine hours, thirty-seven minutes and six seconds. Walking through the infirmary doors felt like a burden and a relief at the same time. This is from where he escaped with his brother. Guilt. But the relief won, because he knew who would be waiting for him behind those doors.

He'd see her again.

"Mr. Scofield." Katie touched his arm when he passed her by on his way to Sara. "Long time no see.." Her eyes held a hidden sparkle, one that explained a lot. It said _Good to see you again, despite the circumstances_ and _I know what you did last week_ all at the same time. He was glad to see her again, and had a nagging that she was a great factor in his whole relationship with Sara.

He thanked her with a nod of his head. "It's good to see you again, Katie."

She smiled. "Why thank you, Mr. Scofield. That's the sweetest thing that's been said to me aaaall morning! The doctor is waiting for you in room three."

He stepped into the direction of a door with a big 3 on it and smiled when he spotted her auburn hair through the glass window. His heart felt a little lighter.

She turned around and looked right at him.

... Make that a lot.

* * *

Sara 

He walked in and her heart fluttered. "Mr. Scofield," she said softly, "sit down. – Thank you, officer." The CO walked out and left them alone inside the room, where there could not be kisses, could not be hugs, nor secret touches. She sighed.

"I can't believe we're here again."

His hand found hers, secretly carressing it under the tray of supplies. "I know. We won't be here for long though. Remember," he gave her hand a gently squeeze. "Six months is nothing compared to the time we'll be spending together outside these walls.."

She nodded. "I know. But still, Michael, I –"

"I know." He'd moved his head forward to kiss her, before drawing back again, sneaking a glance through the small window and pressing his lips to hers anyway. "I know."

She gasped. "You can't kiss me!"

He grinned. "I just did."

Sara playfully hit him. "You idiot." Taking out the needle (with vitamins this time) she positioned it at his arm and saw him flinch. "What's wrong?"

"I-" He ran his hand over his head insecurely.

"Michael?" Her huge eyes stared at him worriedly.

"I'm not a big friend of needles."

Sara laughed loudly and tilted her head to the side, letting her eyes travel over his tattoos before ones again boring into him.

"Wow. You don't say!"

* * *

_So - that was it! Lemme know._

_I've been listening to "Chinese Waterlily"music (instrumental, Zen-like). I highly recommend it!_

_XO_


	21. Buying time?

**A/N : Once again, thank you to all the readers and reviewers who have gotten this far with me. Can you believe it? Chapter 21! Are you getting bored? Let me know.**

**XO **

* * *

Sara 

She anxiously knocked on the door and waited for his low voice to answer her, invite her in and speak her mind. She could only hope he would accept what she wanted to say. "Yes?"

"Sir, it's Sara." She could hear the soothing sound of his chair being pushed back and his heavy feet being dragged across the floor, before his hand pushed the handle down and invited her in. A small smile appeared on Henry Pope's face.

"Doctor. What can I do for you?" He ushered her in. "Come in, come in – sit down. Would you like some coffee? I've just made a pot." A hand rubbed across his tired face. "Need to stay away, you know."

Sara smiled at him. "No thank you. I won't keep you long, Sir." In her mind, her thoughts raced as she tried to recreate the speech she had prepared for him.

"Right." He nodded his head and gazed at her with a friendly expression. "So, what brings you to the other side of the prison tonight?"

She swallowed hard. "Sir, I..." Her hands started fidgeting and she used them to make wild gestures, trying to show her nervousness. Sort of in an _I really feel bad about asking this of you._ Sara hoped it would help.

"It's okay, Sara." His eyes reassured her. "You can ask me."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "Sir, you have been more of a father to me in these last years than my _biological one_ has ever been to me. I want to thank you for that..."

"You are an amazing person, Sara. I am glad to be a part of your life."

Her heart sank a little as she nodded her head lightly. "Right. Right. Thank you. I – er...thank you. Sir, in all those years I've known you, I have never asked you for a thing." Her gaze travelled across the room and her hands stilled for a moment, before they travelled to her necklace, where she found the strength she needed to continue. She turned her eyes back to him and sighed a little. " Until now. "

His eyes looked at her with concern. "Sara?"

"Michael." She wispered to him, as she saw his eyes begin to widen. "Michael."

He clicked his tongue and shook his head a little in...defeat, shock,...she couldn't figure it out. "Sara, I know the two of you are friends, but I –"

"I love him." She blurted out. The Warden's face turned to compassion and she felt as if she could read his mind. _Poor Sara, _he must be thinking right about now. _Poor Sara, falling in love with someone who doesn't..._

"And he loves me."

He sighed. "How do you know? What makes you think he isn't just...using you?" She shook her head.

"For starters, the fact that he's been with me for the last week." She heard his gasp and smiled a little. "He was running, but as soon as he knew it was safe for him to, he ran to me. He found his safe place with me, not with his brother, who had been set free. He came to me and he loved me. It's real, Henry." He relaxed at his first name. "It's real."

He stood up abruptly and walked over to the window, gazing out into the darkness, faintly seeing the outlines of the hundreds of cellwindows. " In this place, there is no room for love." He stated matter-of-factly.

She rolled her lips into her mouth. "There's room for love anywhere, if you just create it."

"Damn it, Sara." She was taken aback from his harsh tone for a minute, until he continued on a softer tone. "There isn't anything I can do."

Inside, she squealed because of his understanding, even though she knew he still couldn't quite grasp the idea. But she thought it was because Michael was helping him build the Taj for his wife, that he had come to acknowledge him as a good man. And with all the attention in the media, and his _true story_ coming out, he must have felt damn proud. If she was the daughter he never had, then Michael certainly was the son.

But she knew he was right. There wasn't anything he could do. "But his monthly check-ups, could it be like that time? Only me and Katie." He shook his head.

"Sara, I can't let the _leader of the Fox River Eight_ go outside of these walls with only a doctor and her nurse accompanying him. No." He looked lost in thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll go with you."

* * *

Michael ( thirty-seven hours, twenty-three minutes and fifty-four seconds) 

"Hey Ben?"

His cellmate snapped his fingers once above him, a sign that Michael supposed meant yes. He folded his hand underneath his head and heaved a sigh.

"Do you have a someone waiting for you on the outside?"

Two snaps. _No._

"Oh. And on the inside?"

Silence answered him and he saw his cellie's head appear over the side of the bed, a curious look on his features. Michael chuckled.

He swiftly motioned the words with his hands (all those fundraisers and charity doing had their benefits). _Can you keep a secret?_

Ben snorted. _It's not like I'm telling anybody._

Michael chuckled and Ben smiled a little. _Funny._

His cellmate climbed down and sat on the floor, so he could look at Michael without too much blood rushing to his head. He raised his eyebrows at him, willing to continue.

_See_, Michael continued. _There's this woman..._

* * *

The next day ( fifty-three hours, twelve minutes and forty-nine seconds)

* * *

"Michael" she said to him. "I bought us some time." 

He frowned. "How?"

A small, mysterious smile appeared on her face. "I have my connections." She tapped the syringe and gently pushed it into his flesh. "But not now – on your 'monthly check-ups'."

Don't get him wrong, he was excited that the had gotten time together, but his worry of 'who to thank for this time together' was still on his mind. And then he knew, and his eyes widened. "You told _the Warden_?"

She sighed, knowing he wasn't pleased with her move. "Michael, I've known him for many years – I knew what to say, which buttons to push."

"What if he'd fired you!"

"I knew he wouldn't. Michael – I've trusted you all this time, so trust me when I say that I knew exactly what I was doing." She uttered somewhat defensive. Hell, it was true, wasn't it? She'd always trusted him to make the right decisions, so why couldn't he do the same?

His hand briefly touched her cheek. "I'm sorry, okay?" He looked into her eyes and damn her, for not being able to stay mad at him. She hated that about herself.

She huffed. "Yeah, it's okay. I _knew_, Michael. Besides, what if he had found out? Then he wouldn't have been so kind to us." He nodded.

"So how are you fitting in?"

He shrugged. "Got lucky with cell-mates again..." She gave him a questioning look while pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Who did you get?"

"Scott."

"The non-talking one?" Her eyebrows shot up.

He chuckled and spoke to her with his hands. _What do you mean, non-talking?_

She smiled. "I see... I suppose he knows about us?"

"Yeah" Michael answered. "How do you know?"

"For instance, the fact that he was staring at me with a huge smile on his face this morning." He looked at her guiltily.

"I don't mind," she continued. "When you get out, you'll be shouting it from the rooftops anyways."She shrugged as if it was no big deal, almost a logical thing for him to do.

She gave him a wink.

"Good day, Mr. Scofield. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

_I know some of you must be surprised that she told the Warden, but anyway, it flowed out of my fingers, and it made sense to me. Now they'll have a 'Higher Power' LOL protecting them._

_Let me know what you think!_

_XO_


	22. Datingthe Warden?

**A/N : Hey y'all! Once again, thank you so much for reviewing - you're the best! I can't believe where we are!**

**Anyway, this is a short chapter about dating with the warden present. I tried to add some humor to it (you'll see). and I hope you think it's funny. I don't know...Sometimes my humour is GREAT!...sometimes it isn't.**

**Let me know.**

**XO**

* * *

_Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Mary... _

_A/N - Scratch that._

_Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Henry..._

Michael 

Both Sara and the Warden were waiting for him at the gates, where he was released by the CO. Sara smiled at him and the Warden just looked – nervous, with a 'oh, man, please don't let me have to watch them snogging the whole time.' . Michael shook his head lightly. This could be fun.

Henry Pope looked at them unsurely. "Why don't you – er... sit in the back with Michael, Sara?" He sounded like a parent having their child dating for the first time. A smile crept out on Sara's face, and as soon as Michael found the opportunity, he kissed it. She immediately leaned into him, at the same time buckling his seatbelt. He smiled as she hurriedly tore away and whispered : "I want you to be safe."

Their driver cleared his throat. "You both have to be. Try not to – " he looked at them in the rearviewmirror and rolled his eyes, "stick to eachother like velcro."

Sara laughed. "We'll try." Michael attacked her neck, oblivious to the Warden's worried stare, and never hearing the words he said, only hearing Sara's response as her throat vibrated with her words. "Yes, I meant _I'll _try." She looked at her pseudo-father reassuringly. _I can handle him, _she mouthed.

The Warden smiled soflty. _I'm sure you can._

* * *

: hospital :

* * *

Henry 

"Yes doctor. I grant Dr. Tancredi the monopoly of Mr. Scofield as a patient. It's not that I don't trust you, it's that Dr. Tancredi knows the way his mind operates. Besides, I'm sure you won't get him to cooperate with you, he is very stubborn that way."

The doctor looked at him in doubt. "Are you sure, Sir?"

"Dr. Clemner, all we need is your equipement. I do not need your opinion on how to handle my staff _or_ my prisoners, thank you very much."

The doctor sighed. "Exam Room six is free for you."

"Thank you, doctor."

He walked over to the _Couple of the year_ and informed them of the situation. "I'll..." they looked up at him simultaneously and my, my, wasn't this freaking him out? "wait for you in the little room where the patient has to change into that awful robe.." He proudly held up him i-Pod and copy of Harry Potter and smirked. "I came prepared."

He pushed them inside and heard them turn the lock, doing the same thing with his door. He smiled as the first tones of the Perishes wafted into his ears and contently opened his book. Now he had to wait. And try not to think about what was going on behind the other closed door.

Sara

Michael looked at her with a look of wonder etched on his beautiful features. "An i-pod and a Harry Potter-book?"

She smiled. "He is only human, Michael."

He shook his head. "Yeah, but..."

Sara pressed herself against him. "Uh-uh, Michael. Don't talk. Just kiss." She swung her arms around his neck and pressed an open-mouthed kiss against his lips. He eagerly pushed back and ran his hands all over her body. Fingers were exploring, lips were moving and tongues were touching. After being denied all of this for so long, it had felt as if they had finally come home. This place, this examination room, was _their place _for an hour, if only in their minds. It was all there...and they were there...together.

With the warden waiting for them. Michael sighed as her head came to rest on his chest and his fingers started to roll over his muscles and tattoos. They'd survived the first month – but there were still five more to go. She raised herself on the table and looked into his eyes.

"It's just five more months, Michael." She felt him smile at her words and melted when she felt his lips touch her hair. A gesture that she loved so much. _Thank you, Henry. For allowing him to do this._ In just five little months, she wouldn't have to thank anyone but Michael for this. It would be them against the world, without the stupid sidekicks watching their backs.

Five more months. 13,219,200 seconds to count down.

Henry

Henry was shaken out of his musings about Harry and wether or not Snape was evil, by the sound of a door opening. Out walked the two lovebirds, clearly...er_- rested._ They both oozed a sense of liberty and happiness, and he could feel his heart speeding knowing that he was the one who had made this happen. He had put their smiles up there.

"You ready?"

They both nodded and Michael squeezed Sara's hand, that he had been holding ever since they came out. She gently squeezed back and pressed a kiss to his lips, before letting go. Michael stopped the Warden from opening the door with a simple "Wait."

Henry turned around and raised his eyebrow at Michael, who pressed Sara against him one more time. "I love you." He whispered in her ear, and Henry Pope, Warden of the Fox River State Prison, had to turn away from the tenderness in his voice.

He didn't doubt Sara's statement anymore.

It was real.

* * *

_Did you notice it? What did you think? _

_XO_

_PS: The lyrics in the beginning : me giving a Mary Poppins' song a little twist. (winks)_


	23. Halfway there

**A/N : 100 reviews ! Sjeesh! I am sooo happy! Thank you so much for all the support so far, please keep on reviewing and brightening my every day...**

**Love you all.**

**XO**

* * *

Two months later

* * *

Sara 

Sara sat behind her desk at home and gently tapped the pencil to the hardwood. Three months had passed. Three months – half of his sentence. She sighed. It had been okay – it was as good as it could be, with the Warden protecting them on the outings, and stolen kisses when he came in for his shots. She couldn't expect anything more.

She smiled at the photoframe and turned it a little more towards her. His smile lit up the glass and his chrystal eyes looked at her laughing. Lincoln had given her this picture when they all got together a week ago, after she had been nagging to him for about six weeks. She was tired of his mugshot, damn it! And then he had handed the photo to her, carefully. His eyes held a weird expression in them, but she supposed he meant _Take care of him, please. He's not just my little brother anymore.He's your guy,Sara. He's yours._

Or something. She had immediately walked over to this very desk and retrieved the empty frame from the top drawer. A frame that she had preserved for this very purpose. Placing it behind the glass, she gently pushed the lock back to its place and had precisely placed the frame where she would always be able to see it. She'd walked back over to Lincoln, and without asking her, he'd opened his arms and had enveloped her in his embrace. They'd stood there for minutes. She'd felt so loved and wanted. A baby sister, his eyes told her. _You're my baby sister, Doc._

Sara stared at her flickering computerscreen and was startled when a new Outlook - window popped up. _You have one new message._ Michael had mail? She tentatively clicked the button and peered at the sender.

sender : Julio Fernandes

subject : Simon, how are you?

She tapped the mouse and the message opened. She smiled. It had _Fernando _written all over it.

_Simon,_

_How are ya, pappi? _

_Julio_

Opening the attachment 'memories.mp3.' , she heard the familiar sounds of Simon and Garfunkel playing. _Oh._ Her mouth opened slightly and a chuckle escaped. _Julio._

Sighing out of relief now that she knew Sucre was okay, she turned down the light after shooting a final craving look at Michael's picture and padded over to the bedroom. Crawling into the too neat bed, with the far too clean sheets, she snuggled into her pillow.

_Sweet dreams, Michael._

Michael

"Hey Ben?"

Ben climbed down from his bed and sat next to Michael on the cold cell floor, as had become a ritual for them for the previous months. He smirked. _Why am I always the one sitting on the cold fucking floor?_ His eyebrows knitted together and he bit the inside of his cheek.

Michael grinned. _Don't blame me, man! You picked the top bed..._

His cellmate rolled his eyes. _If I'd known you'd be such a needy little cellmate, I'd have asked for a transfer._

Michael pushed his shoulder lightly. _Be nice._

_Whatever. What's up?_

He thought for a minute. _What's your story?_

Ben looked away from him, as he had all the previous times Michael had asked him this particular question. The lad was resourceful, he knew. But well, in prison you couldn't just Google things. His past was something he was not ashamed of, but everybody had told him he should be. He became strong in prison, immune almost to anything the had thrown his way. Never show anything amongst the inmates. But Michael was different. Turning back to look him in the eyes, he felt that it was time he told his friend – his friend.

_(And a rock feels no pain . __And an island never cries) - Simon and Garfunkel, I am a rock_

_I fell in love. _

Michael looked at him with apprehension. _With someone you shouldn't have?_

Ben shrugged. _With someone they told me I shouldn't have. _A beat passed. _But it felt right, you know? _

_And they found out. They found out and told me I couldn't. They found out, and found something small I did wrong, striking me three times as hard as they should have. But, you can't choose who you fall in love with, you know? It's about love, not gender. _

He looked up into Michael's face and only saw him nod his consent. He didn't even flinch, as to where the others he had turned their faces away in disgust. He hadn't mattered to them anymore, and they never even tried to fight. They never even fought.

He felt Michael's touch lightly on his shoulder as he softly murmured an _I'm sorry, _pressing his fingers speaking the same words, on Ben's skin, making the statement even stronger. Ben put his hand on top of Michael's and hung his head. Michael knew he was crying and recalled Simon and Garfunkels words : _If I never loved I never would have cried._

Michael shook his head. It's only love. What's the world so afraid of?

Love.

How he missed Sara right now. He missed her so much it lay heavily on his chest.

_Goodnight, Sara. I love you more than you'll ever know._

* * *

The next day

* * *

Sara

Sara pressed a cotton ball to his needle-cracked skin and quickly removed it, pressing a kiss to it, and then covering it up again. His head snapped to the window, before capturing her lips when he saw no one was around. She softly moaned against his lips.

"Three more months, Michael..." He nodded with a small smile. "Oh – and Sucre e-mailed us. He added a Simon and Garfunkel song to his e-mail. I suppose you can guess which one?"

Michael laughed out loud. _Oh, Suces._ "Yeah."

She cleared her throat lightly. "And who would Rosie be in this particular scenario?"

He shrugged with a frown. "I wouldn't know."

She hit him. Hard. "You're an idiot."

"I'm your idiot."

Sara kissed him quickly. "Yes, you are."

His eyes gazed into hers and he quirked an eyebrow. "How's our place...still standing?" She bit her lip nervously.

"Actually – this cat wandered in and pushed over a candle. The whole place burned down, honey..."

"You're funny." She nodded.

"Yes."

* * *

Sara stepped out of the elevator and curiously eyed the objects in front of her. Three packages where neatly stapled in front of the wooden door. She carefully lifted them into her arms and pushed the door open with her foot. Inside, she placed them on the couch and nearly bounced in her seat next to them. She opened the note attached to the first one. 

She gasped when she recognised his handwriting. Michael?

_Hey sweetie,_

_I can almost see you sitting there, probably indian style on that couch, peering curiously at the presents and this note. In case you were wondering, I got some help from the Warden preparing all of this. He owes me for that Taj. _

_Now, I know it's not your birthday, nor our anniversary... But it's just a sign to show you how much I love you. Sara, I'd be nothing without you – I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. Never forget._

_We're halfway there, Sara. _

_Love you always,_

_Michael._

* * *

_I can't stand homophobia - why is the world so afraid? It's just love. Unfortunately, the world doesn't seem to get this and things like what happened to Ben keep on happening. Even worse things happen. Please, try to stop this..._

_Anyway...What's in the presents? _

_Tune in tomorrow!_

_XO_

_Ps : Let me know what you think, pretty please?_


	24. Chance to sparkle

**A/N : Thank you all so much for your confidence in me! It means so much! Now, I know you are all dying to know what's in the packages, so therefor I will start. Otherwise I'll never get to the next chapter, where you find out.**

**KIDDING ! (was that lame...)**

**Nah, you'll find out in a few minutes...Stay tuned. And review. Pretty please?**

**Ps : sorry it's such a short one, I have to go somewhere tonight, but couldn't go a day without updating, could I? **

**XO**

* * *

_The only truth I know is you _Sara

_Ps : I know you're curious, but remember what my mother said. "Curiosity killed the dog."_

Sara laughed out loud at Michael's imitation of Sassy. She'd always pegged him more for the Chance-type. Was she comparing him to cats and dogs? She shrugged and let her fingers wander over the first box. Her hands found the edges to it and she carefully tried to open it, but eventually gave up and ripped it open.

She sighed when she found a cardboard box. He wasn't pulling one of those box-within-box-within-box tricks on her, right? 'Cause if he was, she'd be killing him. But as she planted a pair of scissors into the box, not even caring to find the opening anymore, she was relieved not to stumble upon another piece of carton.

_See,_ she thought. _This is why I was never good at copy-paste-hour in kindergarten._ She let out a frustrared sigh and let go of the scissors, pulling back to stare at the thing. Damn you, Michael! He was teasing her! He and his structural engineering stuff.

Leaning forward to try again, she finally managed to pull the box apart and she let out an 'aww' when she saw what was in it.

**A/N : This is the part where you find out.**

It was a teddy-dog, white with small black flecks and a bald spot every now and then. She softly stroked the little furry thing. Smiling, she pulled out the little card accompanying it.

_Sara._

_This – is Chance. I've had him since I was about eight, and had seen Homeward Bound for the very first time. Wherever I was, he was never far away. Imagine the things this little guy has seen! Couldn't take him with me to – you know. Don't think it would have looked all that masculin. But I want you to keep him safe now. Maybe even snuggle every once in a while. He loves it. _

_Keep it with you, and I'll be there when you sleep. Because :_

_My mind's distracted and diffused _

_My thoughts are many miles away _

_They lie with you when you're asleep _

_And kiss you when you start your day_

-_Simon and Garfunkel_

_Love you forever._

_Ps : How'd you like opening the box? _

She wanted to kiss him and smack him up the head at the same time. She softly cradled Chance and pressed her lips to his nose, aching to smell something Michael on him. Smiling, she walked him over to their bed and lay him down on Michael's side.

"And you better not try anything!" She giggled and left the room to open the other package. She looked to the ceiling. Please, don't let it be another structural engineered thing!

It wasn't. She peered inside and pulled out the small bracelet, that seemed to have been made for her, fitting her perfectly. A small green diamond hung from it, the soft sunlight making it sparkle like a ... it was a diamond. Man! Suddenly, she was reminded of her first boyfriend, who had given her a similar bracelet. She was so overjoyed, thinking about how much it prooved she was worth to him.

That diamond was fake. But this time, Michael loved her enough. He loved her enough.

She folded open the note.

_Sparkle, sparkle._

_Love._

_Michael_

She grinned. Oh, Michael. Clasping the bracelet around her wrist, she pressed a small kiss to it.

_I have the bestest boyfriend ever!_

* * *

The next day

* * *

Michael

_Oh my life seems unreal, my crime an illusion _

_A scene badly written in which I must play _

_And though it puts me uptight to leave you _

_I know it's not right to leave you _

_The morning is just a few hours away_

Michael sat in his cell and anxiously bit his nails. Did she like the presents? Were they too cliché? Damn it! He should have...Should have...

He was startled by Ben's hand on his back, winking at him reassuringly. They had grown even closer after Ben told him about his story. Their frienship was real, too.

"Scofield! It's time for your doctor's appointement."

Michael looked at Ben one last time, and in his eyes there was the knowing that it was okay, that she loved his presents, and that she loved him. Michael sighed at his friends reassurence.

Who needed words anyway?

He nervously walked over to the infirmary door, walked through – and was greeted with a hand pulling him behind the curtain and lips attacking his own.

He snickered. _Guess she liked them..._

* * *

_Please review! Hope you liked the presents - let me know!_

_XO_

_Ps: lyrics at the end - Simon and Garfunkel, Somewhere they can't find me... (fits, don't it?)_


	25. Countdown : 7

**A/N : Another small chappy, because I'm being forced to go to a play...I don't want to. But I will not leave you hanging, okay! I promised myself that!**

**Now, the countdown has begun : the time a week before Michael is set free. **

**Ain't it exciting?**

**Let me know what you think, okay? Please, please, please?**

**XO**

* * *

Sara 

Sara raised her head a little and smiled at Michael from their spot on the operatingtable. "Soon, we'll be in our own bed..."

Michael groaned."I hope so..Because these things .." he pulled a pillow out from under his back. "..are highly uncomfortable." He pressed a kiss on her lips. "One week, huh?"

She had turned herself away from him and softly murmured "Yeah. One week." Michael pushed himself up and threw his arms around her shoulders, his lips finding their spot right underneath her earlobe. "It's going to be the longest week of my life." He nodded against her shoulderblades.

"But after that...God, Sara, it's going to be _amazing_!"

Sara pushed her bottomlip out. "Just _amazing_?"

He laughed next to her ear. "Fantastic, wonderful, earth-shattering, whatever...for always and always." She half-turned and he grabbed a hold of her wrist, rolling the green diamond in between his fingers.

"...gave me that."

"Huh?" He looked confused and furrowed his brows together.

Sara grinned from ear to ear. "I said : I still can't believe you gave me that."

Michael sighed with a smile. "Honey, it's been three months...get over it."

She cuddled her head in the crook of his neck, like a small kitten demanding attention. "I love it when you call me that."

"Honey?"

"Hmm."

"Honey."

"Hmm?"

" I imagine Mr. _Potter _is waiting for us." He grinned. The Warden was busy reading his third Potterbook, having read the other two on the previous dates. So either he was a very fast reader, or...

She pouted and looked into his eyes with great Bambi ones. "Three more minutes?"

He exhaled deeply. "Fine."

Henry

Give them a bit more time, Henry. _It's been three hours!_ It's their last date together. _Bloody hell, in less than a week they can have all the time the want!_

Torn, he looked at the finished Potterbook in his lap.

_Get up, Henry. _No, Henry. _I said – get up! Up,up,up,up,up!_ Fine.

He walked over to the door, but just as he was about to knock, they walked out with soft smiles on their faces. Michael looked a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

His girlfriend, on the other hand, just stared of lazily into the distance, still clouded by her happiness. The Warden shook his head. Aargh, women. Give 'em three hours in an OR, and they're pleased beyond belief...

"Ready to go, Sara?"

"Hmm?"

"I said, are you ready to go?"

Michael snickered. "Sorry, sir. She's a bit..._fuzzy._"

Henry Pope laughed. A year ago, he'd never thought about calling Dr. Tancredi, woman all around organized, _fuzzy, _but now – it seemed just the word.

* * *

That evening

* * *

Ben 

_Three hours._

_Three hours?_

Michael grinned at his cellmate's astonished reaction, and repeated his words with a proud smirk in place. _Three. Hours._

_Dude!_ They bumped their fists together. He'd miss this, Michael realised. He'd miss Ben once he was gone.

_You do know I'll come see you, right? _Ben shook his head.

_I don't want you to look back, Michael. You've gotta move forward._ He sighed. _You shouldn't come back. You can never look back._

Michael's eyes were sparkling wickedly and Ben knew he was fighting a losing battle. He smiled a little. Michael was one of the most stubborn men he had ever known. And hell! He'd be faced with Fox River everyday, seeing as his _amour_ still worked here. Ben liked the doctor. He'd give her lopsided grins and she'd look at him in a cute jealous way. Like _Grrr, you get to spend time with my boyfriend. _But even though he could never communicate with the doc the way he could with Michael, it was okay. Because Michael linked them together.

Michael linked him to everything. They were the golden duo, never leaving eachother's side. But that would soon be over, when Michael would go back to living.

His cellmate shook his head slightly and kinked an eyebrow. _Friends are family you make for yourself. You don't turn your back on family, man!_

Ben rolled his eyes. _Whatever._

Sara

_When the sun sets around me_

Sara smiled at Chance, who lay next to her in bed, all dewey-eyed and furry. She pressed a small goodnight kiss on his nose.

"One week, Chance. He's coming home."

* * *

_So? What did you think? _

_Ps: Once again sorry 'bout the short chappy - The play is 'cramping my style'. LOL_

_XO_


	26. Countdown : 6

**A/N : Here comes another one - OH! tadadada OH! tadadada..**

**¨Please review!**

**XO**

* * *

_The time is coming_

_It's coming soon_

_I feel it in my bones_

_I feel it in my shoes._

_I was lost_

_But now I'm found_

_I know my troubles _

_Are turning around_

Katie

That morning, Sara walked into the infirmary with a smile on her face, and Katie knew it would all be over soon. She smiled at the bouncy step the doctor walked with and the way she flicked her hair, obviously in tune of some girly-power song reverbrating in her mind. Her heart was too full of Michael to echo any other sound but his name.

Ah – to be young and in love. Those weeks were everything just _clicks_, and you know this person is the one you'll be loving eternally. So what if he's a con?

Katie grinned. Congrats, Sara. I'm happy for you.

She pushed open the door to the office and smiled sweetly at her friend. "You seem to be in a pretty good mood this morning?"

"Six days.." Sara told her in a sing-song voice. "Six daays." Her smile broadened. "And then – eternity! " She made a wide 'hallelujah'sign in the air and giggled, jumping up from her chair and parading around the room, her heels softly tapping on the cold tiles. She walked over to Katie and grabbed her hands excitedly.

"Six. Days." Sara shook her head a little with wide eyes and a soft gasp, as if she couldn't quite believe it herself. She swung open the door and stepped through it while performing a little dance. She walked through the hall, and Katie could hear her singing all the while.

Ben

Ben sat with Sara. A weekly ritual for them, a check-up thing, whatever. She had always declared him in good health, and he was positive she would do the same today. You can't break tradition, right?

_Yes, you could. You could leave this place. _

He shook his head. _Not yet._ He could smell Sara's sweet perfume. Michael was a lucky bastard. Hell, if things were different, he'd be going after her himself! But he wouldn't now...He bet it didn't stop the other cons from trying, though. He chuckled as he imagined her response to their 'flirtation and innuendo' : Oh, sorry guys – Nr. 51208 has snatched me already...

The moment when the chuckle escaped him, her big brown eyes found his. She looked at him nervously.

"Does he...You know..." she tilted her shoulders, "say...anything about friday?"

Ben looked at her in shock. _Are you kidding?_ He mouthed, and was happy to see a smile appear on her face. _He never shuts up!...Well,_ he grinned_, his hands never do._ Sara laughed.

"Glad you got this cellie, huh?"

Ben nodded decisively. _Definitely._ Sara turned her eyes at a spot on the wall, probably remembering his cellie-status. He knew it must hurt her, having a boyfriend in prison. He locked his finger under her chin and turned her gaze back to him.

_Hey_, his thumb stroked away the doubt on her cheek. _He loves you..so much._

"Me too."

_You know,_ Ben told her, _had things been different, he'd have me as some serious competition. _

"Hehe." She wiggled her eyebrows... "we'd make a good couple, you and I."

He nodded furiously. _Oh yeah._

She gave him a small kiss on his cheek. "Well, Mr. Scott, you are in perfect shape, I hope to see you like this again next week."

He grinned wickedly. _You kissed me._ Wiggling his eyebrows, he added, _Wait 'till I tell Michael about this._

She started crackling protests, but they fell on the mute man's deaf ears. He threw a final kiss in the air and was gone.

_Michael's gonna freak!_

Michael

Michael slammed the door behind him and looked at Sara with wide eyes. "You KISSED Ben?"

Faintly hearing her mutter something about _getting that guy for this_, he watched her walk over to him and pull out the privacy curtain, sheltering them from view before kissing him passionately, leaving him struggling for breath.

She grinned. " Jealous, are we?"

"W- I – He – he said you'd ... and I quote: _kissed him passionately._For Pete's sake, Sara, he even told me that he now _understood the way I feel about you._ He – I -" a sharp inhale followed. "Did you kiss him passionately?"

She pressed a small kiss to his cheek."Does that feel like a passionate kiss to you?" He shook his head, feeling quite confused. So she was kissing Ben passionately, but all he got was a kiss on the cheek? He pouted.

Sara laughed. "You tell Ben, that if he thinks that's passionate, he's not as healthy as I thought he was. I think I sense quite a bit of frustration. 'Cause, you know –" she lowered her voice to a whisper, " he's not getting any."

Michael squared his shoulders. "I knew that." He proclaimed proudly. "I knew you'd never kiss my cellmate."

"Right. Of course you did." She looked his curiously. "Now : say after me, Michael – 'I, Michael Scofield...' "

He kinked his eyebrow. "This sounds an awful lot like a marriage vow, Sara."

She blushed furiously. "It's not."

He looked deeply into her eyes, before stating " Not this time, it's not."

"Quit it!" Sara smiled nervously, slapping his arm playfully. "It's not funny."

"A little bit."

"Okay...A tiny tiny bit." She shook her head in surrender, rolling her eyes at the _mature_ man. "Now – repeat it."

He sighed. "I, Michael Scofield..."

"...'will never ever again doubt my girl again where other men are concerned'..."

"Sara!" She gave him a stern look and he repeated the words she had repeated. She patted his head.

"Good...'especially in the case of _gay_ men'..."

Michael blushed this time – it _had _been pretty stupid of him, huh?

" '...and will love her for ever and ever.'..."

He looked at her, his intense chrystal eyes looking down to the very depts of her. "You know I will.." His eyes sparkled as he pulled her lips back to his.

She tore away. "You didn't finish."

He leaned his forhead to hers. "I'll love you for ever and ever, Sara."

Sara beamed. "Good. Now, I'll see you tomorrow..." As he turned around one last time, she grinned. "...and please, sweetie, try not to believe any more stories."

_Argh. Women!_


	27. Countdown : 5a

**A/N : Ah, Friday. I'd thought it would never come. What a week, full of deep thoughts and heavy workloads. But tonight, it ends!**

_And now you're living_

_For the weekend._

_- Admiral Freebee._

**I'm sorry about posting another small chappy, but I've gotta run again...This is not it for day - 5 thought...5b'll be up tomorrow. But please let me know what you think of the a-part? It sort of focuses on Michael/Ben and Michael/Lincoln. 5b'll be totally MiSa.**

**I can't believe the 124 reviews! You guys are the ones that keep me going. Love to you all.**

**X****O**

* * *

_Will I stop the grieving  
Will my future be blue  
Will I be on the road to freedom  
Wearing my new skin_

- Admiral Freebee

Michael 

Michael leaned against the phonebooth and sighed heavily, listening to the dialtone. _Pick up..._ His eyes trailed towards the large gates. He'll be walking through them a free man this friday. Friday.

Sara has the weekends off, so they could disappear for days.

"_Hello?"_

"Linc! It's me, man!" Michael grinned at his brother's expression, that he could sense from miles away. "Don't look so surprised."

Lincoln chuckled. _"You've never called me from that place before- how could I not be surprised?"_

"Point taken. ... So how are you?" Michael skittishly looked around...where was Ben? Lincoln started chatting about Veronica and his son, about the things he wanted to do and the things ... well, you get the picture.

Michael had tuned out after the twentyfirst evening of the "Lincoln/Veronica reunion tour" and started panicking at the twentysecond. Ben?

"Linc...I gotta go. Something's up."

"_Michael...Michael! Are you okay."_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Bye." Hanging up abruptly, he strode over the grounds, his eyes frantically darting around, looking for his missing cellmate.

_Ben, where are you?_

He found him. Ben sat on the ground, rocking himself back and forth, clutching his head with one hand. Michael crouched down and worriedly looked at his cellmate.

"Ben?" A tremor shot through Ben, and his body shook. "Ben, it's Michael... Ok, you're going to feel my fingers on your wrist, now." He hesistantly locked his fingers around Ben's hand and distanced it from his head. A small wound was letting a trail of blood run down his face, but Ben had built a dam with his hand to stop the flow.

Michael gasped and clenched his fist. "Who did this."

Ben shook his head. _No one. It's nothing._ He made a small, forced smile appear on his face.

"Ben." The taller man growled, "Who."

_It's nothing._

Michael stood up again, and pulled Ben with him. He looked through the many faces, expecting to see some glinsten with triumph. He didn't. Turning around, he gave his cellmate a stern look. _We'll talk about this later._

Ben shook his head in disbelief. _Stubborn._

"Right now," Michael continued. "You're going to see Sara again."

Ben beamed. _Good! She can kiss it all better._

His cellmate clenched his teeth. "Watch it."

And as he watched his cellmate disappear with one of the CO's, he gazed up into the sky, swearing it became bluer by the day.

* * *

The next day

* * *

"Scofield, you have a visitor."

"Linc!" Michael hugged his big brother tightly. "Why are you here?"

"Why am I – why am I...?!" Lincoln exclaimed loudly. "Mike, you hang up on me yesterday, talking about how _something's wrong_, and you don't expect me to go out of my mind with worry? I mean, jeez Mike!"

Michael looked at a blank spot on the ground, ashamed. He'd forgotten about Lincoln. "I'm sorry."

A sigh escaped. "Yeah, well. What's done is done. Now what happened?"

"Someone hurt Ben."

Lincoln

Lincoln squared his shoulders, remembering how things were in prison, and how they affected Michael. Especially where someone he cared about was concerned. Sara'd told him how close the two had become, and Lincoln was both scared and happy that someone was out there with his little brother, doing everything he could to keep him safe.

"Linc, I worry about him." He nodded. "Can you ask Veronica to look into his case? There's gotta be something we can nail 'em for."

"Will do, Mike. Don't worry about it. Vee'll get it done." A smile appeared on his face when he remembered his girl. Soon to be fiancé, if he had anything to say about it. Which reminded him... "How's Sara today? "

Michael shrugged sadly. "Don't know. Haven't gotten my _shot_ yet." His eyes showed his longing for her, and Lincoln grinned.

"Oh boy – you've got it bad."

"Yeah..." he nodded in a cloud of dorkiness. "I do."

" VISITATION OVER. ALL PRISONERS RETURN TO THEIR CELLS!"

"I might just pop by to see how she's doing. Haven't talked to her in two days."

Michaels smiled. "I'm sure she'll love that. Tell her I missed her this morning, will you."

Lincoln made a face. "Tell her yourself!"

* * *

_Need to go...5 minutes...Running...out...of...time..._

_Sjeesh. Hope y'all appreciate this! LOL_

_XO_


	28. Countdown : 5b 4a

**A/N : Here ya go – the promised chapter 5b + chapter 4. I'm sorry it took me some time, but hey – I have a life too, you know! (grins)**

**Thanks again to all the reviewers, the fact that you even take the time to review small chapters means the world to me. I don't know where I'd be without you! (gets all emotional).**

**XO**

* * *

Michael 

Sara smiled at him the moment he walked into the infirmary. Her face was aglow and he desperately hoped it was his prescence that had made her thus.

"Your brother came to me." ...or Lincoln's. That's okay too, right? Sort of a mi casa e su casa thing, but then with brothers?

Michael grinned."I know. Did he deliver the message?" Her eyebrow raised in confusion and he cursed his brother. _Idiot._

"No." She shook her head, her hair waving around as she did so. "No. I didn't get any message, why? What was he supposed to say?"

Wrapping his arm around her body, he looked into her eyes. "That I missed you."

"You did?"

"Hmm."

She looked at the floor to hide her smile. "That's good." Swinging her head back up, she added "Chance told me the same thing about you."

Michael's eyes filled with longing. _Gosh, Chance!_ He missed the little guy. " Good. Kiss him for me. Oh – and Bunny too, how's Bunny doing?"

He watched with sadness as he saw her eyes starting to fill with tears. _Damn it! Why did he always say the wrong thing?!_ "Sara?"

She furiously wiped at her cheeks. "Yes, sorry, I'm here." Turning away from him, she picked up the needle and positioned it at his arm, only to have him pull it out of her hand and capturing her fingers instead.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it." She evaded his question, and damn her if she thought he could fool him like this. _Remember the 'not pressuring' thing, Michael?_ Yes, he did remember, but this time he wanted to know, so she could be properly comforted. He would not have her be sad on account of him.

_No pressure thing._

Turns out he didn't even have to choose, because after 3 seconds, she turned at him and fell into his arms, pressing her ear close to his chest to hear the sound of his heartbeat. "The governor sold her when I was 13."

The _governor?_

His mind flashed back to the time he'd found Sara crying in her office, the dialtone still ringing in his mind. That night when he had held her close, he'd known that it had been _Frontier Justice Frank's _doing. He gently combed a strand of her hair with his fingers, his soft voice soothing her pain.

"And what did he do this time?"

"He.." She struggled for breath, and his hands were there immediately, comforting her and calming her in a few minutes. "He said that he wished I'd died with her."

That SON OF A...

"Sara. Listen to me, are you listening?" She nodded while her body trembled in his arms. He found her glassy gaze and pressed a quick kiss on her salty lips. "He doesn't know anything...not anything, Sara. You – are – _loved_." His voice shook when he continued. "I would be nothing without you, honey. _If not for you, I would still be searching for my dream (1)..._"

She pressed her lips to his in a frenzy, and he kissed her while trying to calm her body down. The tremors that went through her limbs shot through his heart. "I _love _you."

" Thank you..." she laughed "...for loving me."

Katie tapped the window gently. Their time was up. He looked into her loving eyes." Forever, okay?" he whispered.

She nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The next day

* * *

Sara 

"Five more days."

"I know."

"FIVE more days."

"I KNOW."

He kissed her passionately and jumped up from the chaise, twirling her around. She clucked her tongue. "Michael!"

"Five more days, Sara. And then we'll be out of here." He looked at her in doubt. "Well, I'll be out of here, anyway.You'll still be the prison doc, huh?"

She pecked him on the lips. "Place won't be the same without you."

"I know..." He grinned. "But could you – will you take care of Ben for me? I worry about him."

"You mean because of the wound he had the other day?"

He shrugged. "Amongst other things." Silence covered them for a while. "He won't tell me what happened."

She kissed the side of his face. "Ronnie's on it, Michael. She'll work something out. We'll fight for him. Don't worry...We'll save him, like you saved your brother. Only, this time.." she kinked her eyebrow, "it'll be _legal._"

He grinned and looked in awe at the woman who had come to mean everything to him. Or had she been his everything all along? He supposed she had been. _Fate._ The thing he believed in above all other things.

"Do you believe in Fate, Sara?"

She smiled softly. "Yes."

Her eyes were so honest, and trusting – they blew Michael away. He took her in his arms in one swift movement, and enveloped her in a passionate kiss.

"I knew you would."

* * *

_(1) song is Daniel O'Donnell's ' Thank you for loving me' ...Quite a simple song, and really cheesy...But I found the lyrics and thought – hmm...should use these...Ergo...here they are!_

_Hope y'all liked this chapter.Please let me know. And I think I'll write another part to 4...Maybe a 4b...But tonight – I am tired. Needed to escort my friend to the hospital last night (at midnight), so didn't get too much sleep...And aaargh – life is so busy!! But I manage, as long as you keep reviewing. (this is a huge hint!- I'm too tired to be subtle..)_

_XO_


	29. Countdown : 3 2

**A/N :** **Right - so no chapter 4b...but I got you 3 and 2 instead! Let me know what you think, please! I think I'll be rounding up this story tomorrow..The final day...Do you guys want a sequel or not? Please please please let me know if you do. Everyone's opinion will push me in a direction. You decide which one.**

**XO**

* * *

Michael 

On the third day, he didn't see her. Some guy in B-wing had sliced another guy's shoulder, which of course made him pretty angry, which resulted in the other guy losing a finger. Michael was lucky Abruzzi had aimed for his toes. Fingers were just – bad.

So he spent the minutes that used to be the highlight with _Katie_. Not that there was anything wrong with that – he liked Katie. Although she could be a bit blunt.

Flashback 

"_So when are you going to ask her to marry you?" Katie had only just grabbed his arm and positioned the needle to his flesh when she threw the question his way. He'd almost pulled his arm away from the shock of it, but had managed to keep himself under control. The nurse looked up at him with wonder written in her eyes. _

"_I – uh." He stuttered. Yes, he'd thought about it, had even planned it, but to look in Katie's eyes and throw the plan her way – it was too much at once._

_She retrieved the needle and shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Michael – I can call you Michael, right?" he nodded. "Okay – I'm sorry – I'm not trying to be nosy." She giggled. "Okay, maybe I am..but still.."_

_Michael grinned. "'s Okay, Katie. It's just a surprise, is all. I'm keeping it to myself."_

_Her ears perked. "So you do have a plan?"_

_She looked very satisfied at his curt nod and hummed something very resembling 'I knew I knew I knew'. Women who pretended to know it all could be so annoying. But she was sweet, Katie. And she was Sara's friend. _

"_I have a plan, Katie. I'm not gonna let this one go."He winked at her and disappeared through the door, leaving her with a goofy grin on her face. _

_/Flashback._

But he hadn't been able to kiss, or hold, or touch Sara. He'd only be seeing her tomorrow in the infirmary. His last shot in the place. Veronica had visited him the day before. It was all set up – after tomorrow, Michael Scofield would be a free man once again. A new man.

He had grown so much since before he entered this place. He had told Sara that the 'good' man had died when he had stepped into these walls, but the man he was now was better. Happier. He had his brother back, would soon have a sister-in-law and would make Sara his wife.

Wife. Mrs. Sara Scofield.

Does have a ring to it, don't it? The divorcepapers had been filed four months ago, and as of last month, he was an unmarried man. He had never seen himself as 'married' though. Not in the traditional sense of the word. Nika needed a green card, he needed a guard's card. Quid pro quo. A mariage of convinience.

But with Sara it was different. He wanted it all. The kids, the dog, the pretty house with a big yard. Lazy Sunday afternoons with Linc and Veronica and the kids playing. Cuddling his wife close while the lay on the green grass, the sun warming their faces. Falling asleep right there, right then and waking up together, squinting their eyes in the eveningsun.

Now there's the thing dreams are made of.

Sara

Sara missed Michael. She hadn't seen him for a day, and it ate her up inside. This love for him, so overwhelming, so powerful that even one day without him tore her apart. This anxiety – she loved it.

Did he miss her? Did he think of her in his cell, with his cellmate softly breathing above him. Turning around, and round, and round – wrecking havoc on his dirty sheets? She grinned. _Yes._

One more day together inside of this hole. One more day of locked up romance, before walking out of the gates and on to a future. A future together. She knew she would never leave him, and was it weird that she _also _knew he would never leave her? It wasn't cockiness, or arrogance. It was just – knowing.

She loved to love him. A feeling that was stronger than anything she'd ever felt before. She fisted the unslept sheets beside her and chuckled. _They won't be this clean again for a long, long time. _Chance wasn't half as messy as Michael would be. The place could use a little smudge.

She stared at the little pup and could almost hear the real Chance's voice. "It's a thing of beauty when Chance is on duty." True, true - but a change of guards would be wonderful.

* * *

The next day (day -2)

* * *

Michael's eyes sparkled when she walked into the infirmary. It seemed as if she got more beautiful every day. He caught a hold of her hand as she walked by, and press a quick kiss to her ear. "How about giving that privacy curtain one last good show?" He wiggled his eyebrows and Sara let out a laugh.

"You're bad."

Michael pouted, then grinned. " I know." He walked over to the curtain and pulled it in front of them. His mouth immediately attacked her neck and she threw her head back in a moan.

"Michael..." A surge of excitement washed through her and she knew that if they went on for a minute – she wouldn't be able to stop. "Michael, wait. – "

He pulled away from her with sad eyes and she took a moment to catch her breath. She wiped her hand over his face and then retrieved it, smiling a little at him and walking over to the door and walking through.

Now, Michael was confused. Very confused. He heard muffled voices in the hallway and willed himself to cool down. Cool down , Michael. Breathe.

And when he finally found himself calm again, it disappeared in a snap when Sara skipped back up to him and pressed her mouth hungrily to his. "I got us half an hour. For your...physical." Not a breath was spared that didn't need to be, and half a second later her lips were pressing to his again, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. What else could he do but oblige her?

He grabbed her and lifted her up to sit on the chaise, his strong warm hands holding her shaking body tight to his. She pulled him down with her by the collar of his shirt and he leaned on one hand, his body falling towards the crisp white paper. He pulled back and his dilated pupils skimmed her body. The contrast of her hair on the black and white was stricking, and her white labcoat revealed her green halter top, low cut. He groaned. She knew all his weaknesses, did she?

Sara took his hand and guided it to her chest in a wanting frenzy – _one last time. The last time in this place. One last moment in this room._

_It won't always be like this – in this room – in this place._

Might as well make this memorable.

-

Twenty-five minutes later (which was way too little time), Michael opened the door of the infirmary and walked out with a huge smile on his face.This time tomorrow, he'd be home with her. And they would certainly have more than twenty-five minutes to spare.

* * *

_What did you think??_

_One more chapter to go...Sequel - yay or nay?_

_XO_


	30. Countdown

**A/N : I can't believe this is it – the last chapter of this story. Man, I feel sad. It always hurts me parting with a story. But at least my pain won't be too great, since the sequel'll be up tomorrow. Yes, I am keeping on posting daily with the sequel. Any suggestions for the title?**

**Thank you all reviewers I hope you all still care enough to stick with me in the sequel...And of course, during this last chapter. Please tell me how you like it?**

**XO**

* * *

Michael 

Ben sat by the end of his bed and looked at him. Michael could see the sadness in his eyes, knowing this would be the last evening they'd have together for a while.

_Never again,_ Ben thought.

Michael shook his head at the man and his hands started moving, capturing the other man's attention. _In a few weeks, we'll have a boys night, Ben._

_Michael_, his cellmate shook his head. _Stop - hoping. I'll still be here._

And then Michael gave him one of those know-it-all smiles and for once, he believed it. He had to.

_Fine._ He smiled. _Ok, in a few weeks. Until then, I'm going to miss you, Michael._

Michael leaned forward and hugged Ben tightly. "Me too, Ben. Me too."

* * *

The next day

* * *

It was here. 

Michael breathed in and could feel his lungs filling with a different sort of air. The one that allowed you to inhale and exhale without restrictions. _Sara_ was the first thought that entered his head. _Sara._

He walked over to the bars that held him locked up and touched the cold material, feeling it under his fingers. He leaned his forhead against them. _No more now._

The variety of snoring sounds calmed him and saddened him at the same time. All these men still had time to go. Not that they didn't deserve it, but they be here. With Ben. And that was the thing that had him worried. He looked at his sleeping cellmate and grinned sadly. He'd be missing him. _We'll get you out, Ben.I always keep my promises. _

At that moment, the sleeping man cracked open one eye and stared at Michael. _Morning_, his hands fluttered.

His cellmate smiled. _Morning._

Ben grinned. _You're getting your girl today._

_Sara..._Michael turned all goo-y. _Yes I am._

Sara

Sara lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. The soft morning light made spots dance across the white paint. She closed her eyes and saw his face, staring back at her with a smile playing across his face.

_He was coming home today._

She rose with a jump and put on her clothes, inspecting herself in the full-length. Giving her image a wink, she turned around and went around to do her daily business. She hadn't told Michael yet, but she was going to quit. After her and Veronica had saved Ben from the hellhole, she'd simply walk. It had been too long and she had experienced that in those few weeks Michael had been on the run, she'd hated her work. It had felt empty and useless. He wasn't there. She smiled. It seems like the only reason she ever loved her job is because she knew that it would get her Michael.

And she'd found a new job already. They were looking for a pediatrician at the youth center. It paid well, and it was the job she'd always dreamed about. Besides, she was used to dealing with _infants_.

She knew he wouldn't mind – he'd even be happy not to have her there anymore, in constant threat of the guys he'd had to deal with every day. But first they had to get Ben out of there. They needed to get him walking through the gates a free man again.

They'd succeed.

Whistling, she closed up the appartement. _Three more hours. _

Michael

"Scofield – exit your cell!"

Ugh. Bellick? Of all the people to escort him to freedom, it had to be _Brad?_ Luckily, there Louis was there, accompanying him. He liked Louis and his efforts to woo the secretary. Yeah, he nodded, Louis was cool.

Michael turned around and saw Ben standing there motionless. Despite Michael's promise last night, it was hard saying goodbye for him. And as the doors of the cell opened, Michael stepped towards Ben and envelopped him in a tight hug. He felt the cellmate grip his shirt tightly and a small shock rip through his body.

"Scofield!"

He distanced himself a bit and looked Ben in the eyes. _A few weeks,_ he motioned. _Boys night – my place._

Ben chuckled. _Okay – I'll bring the booze._

Michael grinned and motioned some last words, before exiting his cell.

The sole con in the cell smiled and thought of his friend's parting words. _I'll be seeing you, man._

_Okay, Mike. I'll miss you._

--

Michael walked next to the seemingly endless line of cells and shouting inmates until he'd been escorted through the first pair of door. He saw the hallway leading to the infirmary and smiled, throwing Sara a kiss in his mind. _I love you, Sara. You are the only thing that made this place bareable._

The gravel crunched under the soles of his shoes. _His _shoes. His own. Accompanied by his own clothes, and his own watch. Freedom felt good.

Walking out of the gates, he waved at Louis and kept on moving. Not looking back today. Now, where was...?

"MIKE!"

* * *

That evening

* * *

Michael & Sara

Sara walked into their appartement and was greeted by Michael's arms and his lips on hers. She kissed him back fervently and pushed him further into the place, shutting the door with her foot. And damn it, she could feel the first tears pushing through. _Damn it._

She pushed harder against him in complete desperation. Needing to know that he's real, not going away this time. A sob found it's way out and she shivered in his arms. Michael squeezed her body tighter and raked his hands through her hair, pulling his lips away and putting the next to her ear, still not having looked at her. "Sara..." he whispered.

And she fell.

Literally and otherwise. His eyes found hers and he wiped the tears away, clearing her vision. Never tearing away, he walked them over to the couch and the fell on it backwards. He pushed a strand out of her face. "It's okay, honey – everything's okay now."

She nodded and put her hand over her face, trying to cover her reddened cheeks and puffy eyes. "No." She heard his say as he gently pried her fingers away. "I _need _to see you, Sara."

Sara huffed. "I'm a mess, Michael."

He quickly pecked her lips. "You're beautiful."

Her eyes rolled the minute he said it. "So you keep saying."

A beautiful laugh was heard revibrating through the room. A laugh of a free man. "It's true." His voice turned serious again. "Hasn't anyone ever told you you're beautiful?"

She shook her head. "Not really, no. I've gotten _"Gosh, babe, you're hot!" _and _"Give me some of that bum, sugar!"_, but I'd have to say beautiful's the new kid on the block." She gave a small giggle.

Michael shook his head when she imitated the _'complimenting guys'_ she'd met in her life. How could anyone not see her beauty? A smile appeared on his face. She was his.

Her huge brown eyes stared up at him, putting him under some sort of entchantment. He could drown in those eyes.

_Drowning, in a sea of love_

_Where everyone would love to drown (1)_

She tipped her head, and he knew that if he didn't do something quickly, his plan would fall apart. And Michael Scofield could NOT have plans falling apart. He lighly cleared his throat and pulled her up with him, pressing a final kiss on her lips.

"I made us dinner.."

She gasped. "Dinner? This from a man who was whining when he had to bake a cake?"

He grinned. "Actually, I love to cook. I just acted annoyed so you would think I was _cool._"

"Right." She nodded. "Opposed to the little sweet fluffy marshmellow you really are?"

He cracked a grin. "Right."

"Now, if you would follow me, miss..." He took her hand in his and lead her over to the dining room, nervously biting his lip along the way. _God, I hope she likes this._

Sara lazily followed her man, her thoughts wandering back to the day when they'd been cracking shells over by the kitchencounter. Her free hand wandered over to her necklace and she smiled. So Michael cooks huh? I need to remember that – never know when it might come in useful.

Her tourguide had stopped and turned around to look at her, a nervous look on his face. But Sara didn't notice any of it. The only thing she saw was the table, with the burning candles and the origami roses scattered across the red linnen tablecloth. _Oh, Michael!_ She tentatively stroked the rosepetals and gave Michael a child-like look.

"For me?"

He nodded softly and exhaled visibly. He threw his arms around her from behind and rested his head on her shoulder, softly rocking the both of them to unheard music.

_Found true love,_

_Lost your heart...(2)_

She spun around in his arms. "Michael, I - ... Thank you. " She cradled his face and kissed him passionately. "Thank you so much."

Michael smiled. "You haven't even tasted the food."

"I know." Her eyes locked with his. "But I like what I'm seeing."

He chuckled. "Sit!"

Sara threw her hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright! Darn, you're bossy." She added with a smile.

His deep voice hummed. "Yup."

She sighed. "You're so lucky I love you."

He laughed and returned from the kitchen with a plate of what looked like really yummy food. She rose to help him but he gave her a warning look, so she sat back down obediently.

"Enjoy it while it lasts." He whispered to her as he sat her plate in front of her.

"Hmm – forever?"

"20 hours – take it or leave it."

She shrugged. "Fine!" Her eyes went wide as his head moved and she saw what he'd cooked her. "Aww – Michael!"

Turkey.

_Turkey, turkey, turkey, turkey,..._

* * *

"Sara –" he whispered as they lay in bed that night, combing his hand through her hair and pressing his lips to her temples every few seconds, "I don't think any words can express how I feel about you, so I'll have to stick to the cliché ones : I love you so much I can't breathe when you're not around me." 

He pushed himself up on one elbow and looked at her, seeing her beautiful face surrounded by a loving glow. And that was the moment he knew. All of his nervousness faded away when he looked into her eyes. Taking a deep breath, he continued, saying the words he knew would change their lives.

"...and I was wondering if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife."

He gazed at her sweetly. "Marry me, Sara."

She gasped and pressed herself up, nodding her head enthusiastically, while he tasted her salty tears on their joined lips.

_Yes._

* * *

_And? What did you think? _

_Please help a girl chase her I-can't-believe-I-finished-the-story blues away..._

_XO_

_(1) Fleetwood Mac - Sara(h)_

_(2) Jessica Riddle - Even angels fall_


End file.
